The Demon Within
by SanrilTsukina
Summary: Life. Along the way we loose people we love, and yet gain others.Find family we never knew we had, and create another from nothing.Even if you live hundreds, of years you may never fully understand why any of it happens. Time is of the essence.
1. Meeting the White Haired Demons

Disclaimer; I SanTsuki, swear that I do not own any of the InuYasha characters! But just wait; I will have the anime InuYasha!!!!!!!!!!!!evil laughs

Ok small marsh mellow birds, a.k.a. peeps! We shall now begin my story! I hope you like it!

**---------------**

This story is about a young 18 year old girl named San Shikaru. But don't be fooled, she may look young but she is actually, 50 years old. She was born the day that the great priestess, Kikyo, died. And here is where our story begins, five days before San's 50th birthday.

**---Chapter 1; Meeting the White Haired Demons---**

Normal p.o.v.

It was a warm pleasant day, as San walked along a path bordered with blooming sakuras. All of a sudden a large wind blew by, blowing cherry blossoms every where. San had to move the hair out of her eyes. When she did she saw a beautiful woman, with long silvery-white hair, that was in a braid that flowed all the way down to her ankles, standing not to far away on the path.

The woman was wearing a white kimono top with red flowers on it, and black kimono pants. But the thing that caught San's eyes the most was the woman's gold eyes and the small purplish blue hour glass mark on her forehead.

San tensed as the woman turned to face her. _'She must be a demon' _thought San. San didn't trust demons all that well. But she had a right not to, her father had been killed by a demon while on a hunting trip with the men from the village. But the voice in her head, which had guided her through many dangerous situations, told her to calm down, and that this woman would not hurt her. So she calmed down.

Then the woman began to speak. "Child, go to the fields, between those two mountains over there, and wait for five days." Then she turned to walk away.

"Wait!" San said. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sin." And with that she disappeared.

Sin's p.o.v.

I had found the one I needed. Now things would get interesting…

San's p.o.v.

I stood there a bit confused. Why should I go the field between the mountains? _'Listen to Sin,' _I heard the voice in my head say. Then it said something very perverted. Why was the voice in my head always a perverted jack-ass of a guy?

Either way, I listened to him and did what Sin had said. So I went to the field, and stayed there, for five days…

**--Five days later—**

Rin's p.o.v.

Lord Sesshomaru, Master Jaken, and I were traveling along the countryside, looking for the evil Naraku, as normal when we came across a big field filled with tall green grass. Then I looked out into the grass and saw something laying there. The grass was too tall for me to see what it was.

"Master Jaken I think there's something in the grass," I said.

"Just ignore it, Rin. It's probably dead." But I ignored him, and slid off of Ah-un to go see what it was.

Normal p.o.v.

"Rin! Where are you going?!" Jaken yelled after her, as she disappeared into the grass.

"It's a lady!!" Rin yelled, her head suddenly appearing out of the grass. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you think she's dead?" Rin whisper/yelled.

"Silly girl, Lord Sesshomaru does not have ti—wait, Lord Sesshomaru, wait for me!" he yelled running after Sesshomaru who was walking into the grass, heading to where Rin stood.

"She looks like a priestess," Jaken said, pointing out the white kimono top, and red kimono pants of a priestess, the girl lying in the grass was wearing.

"She's kinda pretty," Rin said. "Master Jaken, she isn't dead is she?"

"No, I think she's just sleeping."

They all leaned over the sleeping girl, examining her.

San's p.o.v.

My eyes slowly opened, to see five heads staring over me. One was green and toad-like, the other was a small girl with black hair, two identical heads, and the last had long silver hair, and was wearing fur.

Then my eyes shot open. I finally realized that the man was a demon. I rolled over to my quiver full of my arrows, grabbed one and pointed it at the tall man with silvery- white hair. As I pointed it at him, my arrow slowly turned into a sword. (A/N; San has the ability to turn her arrows into other weapons, and she can multiply them, all with her spiritual powers). The small girl, went and hid behind the man, and peeked out at me. She was so cute and innocent. Plus she had no demonic aura, so she couldn't have been a demon. I changed my sword back into an arrow, and stuck in back in my quiver.

"If a human girl seeks you for protection, you can't be all that bad." I said to the man, standing up. I now got a closer look at him. He was tall, with armor, and the same color hair as the woman, Sin, I had met earlier. Also they had the same eye color. He also had a symbol on his head. His was a purplish-blue crescent moon. He wasn't to bad looking either. I gave myself a mental slap. What am I saying?!

Then the green toad-thing spoke. "How dare you foolish girl!" it yelled at me in an annoying voice. "How dare you point a sword at My Lord, and think you have the right to insult him that way!"

"What ya' gunna' do about it, Toad-Face?" I said to him.

"WHY YOU INSOLATE LITTLE GIRL!" ha, I hit a nerve. "NOW FACE THE POWER OF THE STAFF OF TWO HE-!"

Then man held out his arm, and stopped the toad from raising his staff. This was one weird birthday…

Sesshy's p.o.v.

"Jaken! Calm yourself," I said.

"Y-yes My Lord. Forgive me…" he said lowering his staff.

There was something about this girl. She clearly had spiritual powers, and clearly was human, but… she also smelled of a demon, and… a demonic aura… who, or what, was this girl?

**END CHAP!!**

Ooooooo! What will happen next?! Oh well, gotta find out in the next chap! Bye peeps!


	2. The Midnight Song

Hello again peeps! I'm sorry I haven't written for awhile, but I got busted for the language on my stories, but now I'm sneekin!, Plus the past to months I had a horse die and my dads retired police dog… well. Back to the chaps! Oh and don't forget to review!!

Oh and almost forgot. Unfortunately I still do not own the Inuyasha series…pouts but I still love the show!

No enjoy the chappie!!!!

**Chapter 2**

Normal p.o.v.

"What is your name girl?" Sesshomaru said to San.

She crossed her arms. "You tell me first."

"How dare you!" Jaken spoke up. "Milord asked you a question!"

All of a sudden Sesshomaru felt a tug on his fluff. He looked down to see little Rin rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Lord Sesshomaru, it's getting late. Can we stay here for the night?"

Sesshomaru looked and the almost set sun. "Very well Rin." She smiled and went to go find a soft spot to sleep.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru saw a soft expression on San's face as she watched Rin run off. "So," he said, "are you going to tell me your name?"

The soft expression disappeared off of her face. "Fine, my name is San, and yours?"

Sesshomaru turned away, and looked back slightly. "Sesshomaru. My name is Sesshomaru." Then he walked off and sat under a tree.

"But it is Lord Sesshomaru, to you girl!" Jaken said. San stared angrily at the toad-faced thing. Then she took out an arrow and turned it into a club, and nailed Jaken on the head knocking him out.

"_Might as well sleep here,' _she thought to herself. So she lay down over by a tree, as far away from Sesshomaru as she could get.

Midnight

Sesshomaru opened his eyes slightly when he heard some movement in the grass. He looked over to where San had been asleep, but she wasn't there. Had she left? No her things were still there. So where was she? Just then, Sesshomaru heard beautiful music. What was it? He listened closer. It was a flute. It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

He got up and followed the sound of the flute. It led him to a small patch of trees, bordering a cliff.

He peeked through the trees. There he saw a girl, with long flowing dark hair standing on the cliffs edge. She was the one playing the flute. Wait a minute. This sent. It was…San?

Just then the flute stopped, and Sesshomaru hid in the bushes. Then she began to sing. It was a beautiful song, yet it seemed so sad (A/N; if you've ever seen Chrono Crusade, then it's the ending theme for that, Sayonara Solitaire). He sat down behind a tree, and listened.

After a while the music stopped. He hadn't noticed it, but Sesshomaru had completely lost all senses listening to San sing.

Then she began to play the flute again. Sesshomaru slowly got up and walked back to the spot where had been sleeping. He could still hear the flute. And he closed his eyes and fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

**End chappie!!**

Sory you guys I didn't have time for a long chapter, I have homework to do XP. But next time I'll try and make it longer! Bye peeps! And Merry Christmas!! Well not yet but you know the deal.


	3. Family Reunion

Yo peeps! Yeah I know it's been a while sense I posted another chapter, but don't kill me dodges large knife that _hearts-of-black-don't-cry _threw angrily HEY! Don't blame me! Blame homework! Well, lets get on with the new chapter!!!

Disclaimer: yeah you know the deal; I don't own this series no matter how much I wish I did.

**Chapter 3**

Normal p.o.v.

Sesshomaru slowly opened his eyes. The sun was shining brightly up above. How long had he slept. Through a slight breeze he caught a delicious smell. What was it?

He got up, stiff, and looked around. He followed the smell over to the little cliff he had seen San singing on last night. There he saw Rin, Jaken, and San sitting around a small fire eating what looked like fish, rice, and some other things he couldn't identify.

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru!" said Rin, bright and hyper as normal. "You should try some of this food that san cooked for us! It's so yummy!"

"Yes My Lord, I agree," Jaken said, mouth full, "It is quite delicious!"

"Come sit down Mr. Sleepy head, there's more if you want some," San said, holding up a cooked fish.

He walked over and sat down on a stump. He took the fish from San. He hadn't realized how hungry he was. Normally he would eat raw meat, but it smelled so good, so reluctantly, he took a bite. Then another. And another. And soon the fish was gone. Then he moved on to a bowl of rice.

When San handed him something yellow and white, he looked at it, not knowing what it was.

"It's not going to kill you, it's just eggs." Sesshomaru had never had eggs before. He took one bite. Then, like the fish it was gone.

After they all ate their fill, San started packing her stuff.

"Are you leaving?" asked Rin.

"Yeah, I don't have any where to go, so I just travel every where." San said.

"Cant you come with us?" Rin said sweetly.

San sighed. "Rin I really wish I could but—"

"So you don't like us…" Rin started to cry.

She sighed again,"Rin, don't cry, please… ok, I'll go with you but if Sesshomaru over there has a problem with me then I'm not going."

A smile reached across Rin's face. "I'll go ask him!" then she ran over to Sesshomaru and asked him if San could go with them.

"No, Rin." He said.

The she gave him the sad face, like she had done with San.

He sighed. "She may if you wish Rin."

"Yay! Lady San! You get to come with us!"

"_Since when have I become 'Lady San'? _She thought.

"If you're coming with us, then hurry up and pack, we're leaving shortly," Sesshomaru said.

"Fine, I'm coming… where did my comb go?" she said looking around. "Rin, can you help me find a comb with an adamant sakura on it, I really need it, it belonged to my mother."

"Ok!" she said starting to look around.

San back-tracked her steps, going all the way across the field, out onto the road.

"There it is!" she said running over to where it was lying.

"I'm telling you the insects went the other way!" she heard unfamiliar voices coming through the trees on the opposite side of the road.

Then through the trees came a monk, and woman with a giant boomerang, and guy with white hair and dog ears, and a girl in different clothing.

The monk, who was at the front of the line, stopped and stared at San.

"Hey, Miroku! Why did you stop?!" said the woman with the boomerang.

He walked swiftly up to San, got on his knee, and took her hand. "Will you consider baring my child?" he said, his hand slowly stroking her butt.

San's hand balled up into a fist. She took one of the arrows out of her quiver, and turned it into a Hiraikotsu (sp?) like the one the woman, who seemed really mad now, had. San hit the monk and sent him flying into a tree.

The others looked at the monk, then at San. "What the hell?" the white haired one said.

All of a sudden Sesshomaru was at San's side. "San, it's time to go," he said. Was there a hint of anger in his voice?

She turned the Hiraikotsu back into an arrow and stuck it back in her quiver. "Fine Mr. Puppy-pants, oh and I need to tell Rin that I found my comb." She said sticking her comb in the bag slung over her shoulder.

"What did you just..?! Well, well, if it isn't my younger brother, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said.

"What are you here, Sesshomaru?" he said angrily.

"And why should I answer you?" he said.

"Well, isn't this a happy reunion!" said a woman's voice from all around.

Then out of the trees came none other than, Sin.

Everyone tensed.

"Well, San I see you did what I asked."

"You know this woman?" Sesshomaru asked.

"No, not really, she just asked me to go and stay over in the field, and that's how I met you," she said.

"Now, now, _Prince _Sesshomaru, don't you recognize me? Well, I guess you wouldn't seeing as you've never really met me. Neither have you Inuyasha."

"What do you mean 'Prince'?" Sesshomaru asked.

"And how do you know us?" asked Inuyasha.

"Well don't you know? The great dog demon of the west didn't have only two children…" she looked at the puzzled faces. She sighed. "Well I guess I'm going to have to but this bluntly, I am the sole heir to the western lands, and the first child of the great dog demon of the west, Sin, in other words… Sesshomaru, Inuyasha… I am your older sister."

**END CHAPTER!!**

GASP! Now what?! Is the fact that Sin is their older sister really true? Well you gotta find out in the next chappie!


	4. The Missing child: Sin Apears

Helloooooo peoples

Helloooooo peoples! Been awhile hasn't it? Well someone has been bugging me to get on with the stories coughhearts-of-black-cant-crycough so I decided to make them happy and write the next chapters!! I hope that you enjoy these next chapters and send me more reviews! Now on with the story!

Oh yeah, disclaimer: I don't own the Inuyasha series or any of the characters (unfortunately).

**Chap. 4**

Normal p.o.v.

Everyone stared at Sin, surprised and the "are you serious?" look in their eyes.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"No, not really," said Inuyasha.

"Fine then, I shall explain to you. The great dog demon of the west took a wife before your mother Sesshomaru. He married the demon of creation, the first demon of time, my mother. And they had one child. Me.

"But sadly my mother died giving birth to me. So I grew up with just my father. But one day I was pushed off of a cliff by a small demon imp, when I was just a child," she looked at Jaken when she said this. "Father assumed I was dead. And I'm guessing he never mentioned it to you Sesshomaru considering you don't have a clue what I'm talking about, and you Inuyasha were just a baby when he died so you never really got to talk with him much, at all."

"But father never mentioned you in willing of the great swords he had in his possession," said Sesshomaru.

"Do you remember, Sounga?" she asked.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's eyes widened a bit.

"Ah, so you do remember. Since father assumed I was dead he decided to put Sounga away. If father had known I was still alive then I would have been given Sounga, as it was my birth right."

All of a sudden San screamed in agony, and fell to the ground trying to clutch her back.

"What is it San?" Sesshomaru asked.

Rin ran to San's side. "Are you all right Lady San?" she put a hand on San's back, yelped, and pulled her hand back. "Your back…it's on fire!" she said.

"Hmm… it appears that my son is coming." Sin said looking to a corner of the forest.

"Lord Sesshomaru please help Lady San!" Rin pleaded.

He leaned down and put a hand on San's back to see if Rin was right about the "on fire" thing. He pulled his hand away from her back. It was hot.

He looked up at Sin. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. It just tells you that my son is coming. Every time my son comes within five miles of her, she will come under extreme pain. Speaking of my son, he should be here in 3, 2, 1…"

Just then a man in white baboon fur stepped out of the trees.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stiffened and got ready to draw their swords.

It was Naraku…

**END!!**

Twighlight zone! This is turning out a bit strange huh? Oh well. You'll find out soooooo much more in the next chapter! oh and if you peeps want to know what San looks like, go to my profile, and the pic there is a pic of her, and Mr Puppy-Pants...


	5. twitch

Hellooooo my peeps

Hellooooo my peeps! It's been awhile hasn't it? Well sorry about that I was grounded, but now I'm back! So let's get on with the next chap of DWI!!

**Chapter 5**

Normal p.o.v.

"Naraku, you bastard, what are you doing here?!" Inuyasha growled.

"Now, now Inuyasha. Aren't you happy to see me?" Naraku said. "I just thought I would come and give you all a little visit…" he trailed off when his eyes hit a smirking Sin. He started to sway back and forth, putting a hand to his forehead.

When he stopped, he looked between his fingers, smiling. "It's been awhile, hasn't it? Mother…"

Sin's smirk grew into an evilly demented grin. "Yes it has. My son…"

"W-wait a second here! Mother? Son?" Miroku said confused as could be.

"Let me tell you all a little story…" she put out her hand towards San. Then San's pain subsided, and she fell onto her side gasping for breath.

"50 years ago, two nights before Kikyo's death, I gave birth to a baby boy, and I named him Naraku."

"Wait but wasn't Naraku born from demons eating Onigumo?" Inuyasha interrupted.

"Let me finish! His father had left to go terrorize a village, and not so long after that my baby split into hundreds of demons. Who then flew to Onigumo's cave and devoured his flesh. So thus, an older, half demon, version of my son was born." She said quickly. "There, now you can ask questions."

Everyone stood dumbstruck, well except for San who was just getting up off of the ground.

"Oh, and San," Sin said. "That was also the day you were born. Infact yesterday was your two's 50th birthday if I'm not mistaken." She said looking at San and Naraku.

Everyone twitched.

'_Oh that reminds me! Happy birthday San!!' _said the voice in San's head.

"Oh, shut up!" San said out loud.

Everyone looked at her confused, like she was insane. Well all except for Sin, who was trying to hold in her laughter.

"Well it's time I took my leave, good bye everyone! Goodbye….Shido," she said looking at San. And with that she and Naraku both disappeared.

**End!!**

Dun dun duuuunnnn!! confuzzled? Then my work here is done! Well at laest until the next chapter!


	6. PERVY SESSHY! well, a little

Hi

Hi!! Guess what peeps?! Next chapter of D.W.I!! Wait… I just realized what that could stand for; Driving While Intoxicated!

Disclaimer; I do not own this series, for the last time!! Unfortunately….

**Chapter 6**

Normal p.o.v.

Miroku, Inuyasha, AND Sesshomaru sat around a campfire; Sesshomaru and Inuyasha glaring at each other.

They had all been forced to spend the night together by the girls, who wanted to talk and were "too tired to go one step farther." And so they claimed first dibs on the hot springs that were on the other side of the little grove of trees that barley separated them.

Sesshomaru finally had enough with the staring contest, and got up to go find food of some sort.

He walked for a while when he heard a waterfall. He decided that a little drink wouldn't hurt. He walked through the trees and saw someone at the edge of the river (right by the waterfall). He hid behind a tree and peeked around. Who was it? When the mist cleared he could see who it was.

It was…San? She slipped her kimono pants off, her top was just long enough to cover her up (like her hair wasn't). A gust of wind blew her hair away from her back, also bringing in a low cover of mist, just as she slipped her kimono top off. On her back Sesshomaru saw a black star almost covering her entire back.

"Hey Mr. Puppy-Pants, what'cha doin'?"

"GAAH!" Sesshomaru whisper/yelled, falling backwards. He looked up to see who had startled him. It was Sin. She was hanging off of a branch, by her legs (you know the way kids do on monkey bars?).

San heard something in the bushes and looked around. "Hmmm... must have been an animal."

_"yeah probably," _the voice in her head answered. _"Now, look down so i can see those luscious-- OW!!" _he yelped when San pinched her forehead. She had found out that pinching her forehead caused him pain. This kept the perverted voice quiet; it also amused her.

Sin peeked around the tree. "Oooh, Sesshy's bein' a perv," she said teasingly.

Sesshomaru got up and dusted himself off. "N-no I wasn't' I just happened to be passing by."

"Suuuuurrre," she kept on teasing him.

He growled, and marched off back the way he came.

Sin dropped off of the branch and giggled. "Oh, he knows he likes it." She closed her eyes and tilted her head back. "Oooh, what do we have here? Aww so sweet…w-wait, what are they doing? Oh god! The mental scarring!"

**End of chappie!**

Yes I know it was kind of short, but I'll try and make the next one longer, and don't forget to review!


	7. Friends

Hi everybody! Its time for a new chapter of DWI!! Yes I know it's been awhile but I needed to wait and finish my other Inuyasha story to continue this one properly in the next couple chapters… laptops are funny to type on…. Any way here we go!

**Chapter 7**

Normal p.o.v.

"Ah what a nice bath…" Kagome sighed, as her Sango and San all walked through the trees from the hot springs (fully clothed of course).

"You guys can go in now if you like," said Sango drying her hair with the towel Kagome had brought.

"Hey, where'd Sesshomaru go?" San asked not seeing the man with the large fluff over his shoulder.

"I dunno he walked off," Inuyasha said.

Something in the bushes made a noise. It almost sounded like it said "shift-shift"…

"What was that…?"

"HIIIIIII EVERY ONE!!" everyone jumped as Sin dropped out of the tree near by.

Just then Sesshomaru came back. He saw Sin. Then turned right back around.

"Aww, come on Sesshy, spend some time with your favorite Onee-chan!" Sin said grabbing his arm and dragging him back with hardly any effort.

"I just met you, and you're my only sister…" he growled angrily.

"My point exactly!" she said cheerily, pulling him to the campfire and making him sit down.

He scowled as Sin sat beside him.

"Now isn't that be—Oh no…" she said the last part with dread thick in her voice.

"Hellooooooo..!" a voice came out of no where. Just then a man with medium length black hair popped out of some sort of portal, holding a glass bottle. "Wow, people in the 70's sure know how to party!"

Sin stood up and shouted in rage; "NAYAMASU!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?!"

"OMIGOSH! Sin?!" he squeed, jumping on her. The voice in San's head snarled in response. Sin knocked him off; fuming.

"This calls for celebration!" he said, grabbing a bottle opener out of his shirt, and shaking the glass bottle in his hand before opening it. It spewed out in a long stream, soaking Sin, San, Kagome and Sango in sticky apple cider.

"Aw man!" Kagome said looking at her soaked clothes.

"And we just took a bath," Sango said.

Sin stood there her arms glued to her sides and her trembling hands balled up into fists.

"NAYAMASUUU!!" she grabbed him by his shirt, picked him up and threw him so far you would have thought that she had thrown him out of the country. The voice in San's head snickered.

"Well… back to the hot springs…" Sango said, only half as gloomy as she sounded.

But before the girls made it even a few steps, someone else came through the bushes.

Inuyasha sat up. And Kikyo walked through the trees.

"K…Kikyo?" he got up and took one step towards her. Kagome looked down with sad eyes.

"Kikyo…?" San muttered to herself.

"_The world just wants to put me in a bad mood today doesn't it?" _the voice in San's head muttered.

"Inuyasha…" Kikyo said with her sad tone that she always had around Inuyasha. "What are you doing here?"

"Kikyo… what are you doing here?" he replied.

"Wait, wait I need to clarify something!" San said. "Your name is Kikyo, correct?" she asked.

"Yes, it is."

"I thought you were supposed to be dead," San said confused.

"I am dead… and who are you? You seem familiar…"

"My name is San, you helped my mother give birth to me 50 years ago," she said.

"WHAT?!" everyone but Sin, Kikyo and Sesshomaru said.

"You're 50?!" Kagome screeched.

"Yes, I don't age like normal humans do. Don't ask why I just don't," she said shrugging.

"Oh yes I remember now! Your mother said that I was your Gaibo (godmother)," Kikyo said with recollection.

"Gaibo?!" Inuyasha said.

"Yes, her mother was actually an acquaintance of mine, not quite a friend but…"

Sesshomaru noticed that Sin was staring coldly at the priestess, but said nothing.

After a little bit of clarifying what had just been said Kikyo wandered off, and Inuyasha and Kagome were both slightly depressed.

"What's with those two…?" San whispered to Sango.

"Inuyasha used to be Kikyo's lover, but he also loves Kagome, he's just too stupid to admit it," she said.

"I heard that!!" Inuyasha barked.

"Just be a good puppy, and stay there while we go and wash off," Sin said.

"No! I have to ask her some questions!!" he said pointing at San.

"Just be like a good dog and sit down!" San said.

Then they heard Inuyasha yelp.

"OWOWOWOWOWOWOOOOWWW!!" he screamed trying to blow out the fire on his kimono.

"What happened?"

"W-when San said sit, the beads of segregation lit up and pulled a little, making him loose his balance and fall into the fire," Miroku said a little taken back.

"What?" Kagome, and San said.

"Sit," San said testing. And Inuyasha lost his balance again and fell face first into the dirt. She laughed.

"You wanna see what I can make him do?" kagome said. "Sit boy!" and Inuyasha fell to the ground leaving an indent in the ground.

"Wh-why…?" he said in pain.

The girls all laughed and went back to the hot springs, Sin joining them.

"Ahh…" Kagome sighed with relief. "This feels good."

"Yeah, but our clothes are still wet and sticky," Sango said.

"Don't worry, I stuck 'em in the water and rinsed them, they're drying right now," Sin said, resting her arms on the rock she was leaning up against.

"San…?"

"Yes?"

"Why are you closing your eyes?" Kagome asked.

"O-oh no reason, my eyes are just dry, yeah, that's it," she said, but in truth she was preventing the voice in her head from seeing all the girls in the hot spring. And he didn't like this.

"_Oh, come on! Just one little peek! Please!" _he pleaded.

'No!' she thought to him. He could read her thoughts when she wanted him to, but she forgot this occasionally, resulting in her talking to herself.

"Ah, who cares? You can enjoy the water temp better when your eyes are closed," Sin said.

"Hmm, I guess so…" Kagome said.

"Yes, so lets just relax and—," Sin stopped and sniffed at the air. Her face lit up. She grabbed San by the arm and drug her out of the pool.

"W-wait! Where are we going?!" San asked.

"You'll see!"

"But I don't have any clothes!!" she said. Then they passed the tree where their clothes were, and she just managed to grab her kimono top, which was still wet.

They ran for a little bit more, and stopped in a clearing where someone in a dark cloak was standing.

San managed to get her kimono top on, luckily she had the tie in the picket of the shirt.

The figure turned around and looked at the two.

"Sin..?" the figure pushed her hood off, revealing her dark hair, and glossy eyes.

Sin smiled, almost evilly.

"Hello…Mitsuki."

**End chappy!!**

Ok, if any of you are confused, read my other Inuyasha story and it will fill in some of this one. Don't forget to review!


	8. Mitsuki

Hi everybody

OMIGOSH!! DWI has over a thousand hits! And to celebrate this I am going to try and update every night for the next six days (even though nobody has reviewed!!)!! But if I don't please don't blame me, I have lots of chores and homework, but since I have this laptop, even though it is extremely slow, I will still be able to update much more often so!! Here is chapter 8 of The Demon Within!!

**Chapter 8—**

Normal p.o.v. 

"Sin!" the black-haired girl said opening her arms about to embrace Sin. But she stopped. "Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"

"We were in the middle of taking a soak in the hot springs when I caught your sent, and I didn't want to miss seeing you since it's been so long," Sin said.

She sighed. "Sin you're always the same…" she took off her cloak and gave it to Sin, who wrapped it around herself.

"Um… sorry to interrupt this little reunion, but I'm freezing my ass of here," san said shivering.

Mitsuki looked around sin at the shivering, half dressed girl. "Here," she said blowing a small fire into her hands and sending it to San. It absorbed into her, calming her shivering.

"Oh, Mitsuki this is San, San this is Mitsuki, my fellow Jikoku no Oni."

"Who of the what now?"

"Jikoku no Oni, or Demons of Time," Sin explained.

"Jikoku have different powers than most demons, like unimaginable strength, and special powers like seeing into the future or restoring the soul to the body, like Sin and I can do," Mitsuki said.

"O…kay I sort of understand…." Just then San noticed a small bundle on Mitsuki's back.

Mitsuki noticed her staring and pulled the little bundle off her back. She cradled it gently and pulled back the cloth to reveal a small round baby's face.

"He's adorable…" San said touching his soft, squishy cheek. The mall baby had glossy black hair like his mothers, but it wasn't straight. It was wavy, almost to the point of being curly. And he had two small purple marks under his eyes.

"Aw… is that little Kenkotsu?" Sin cooed. The small baby opened his eyes and giggled when he saw Sin, and reached out for her. "He remembers me." Sin picked up the baby boy and held him up. He laughed. "He hasn't aged a bit."

"Well, then I haven't been losing my touch," Mitsuki said. San looked at the two puzzled. "I can also stop the aging process."

"But, why?" San asked.

Mitsuki's eyes grew sad as she took back her baby from Sin. "Well, I was hoping his father would be able to see him someday… and then he can watch him grow up with me…." She said rocking Kenkotsu.

"Don't worry, you will," Sin said patting Mitsuki's back comfortingly.

"Sin, why didn't anyone but you come to see his birth?" Mitsuki asked.

"Because _he _told us to stay away," Sin replied with a dark tone.

"But why—"

Just then bushes rattled and sticks snapped in the bushes behind the girls. They all turned to see Sesshomaru, Inuyasha and his group. (p.s. Rin, Jaken and Ah-un are off somewhere else)

San turned slightly red when Sesshomaru looked at her with an odd expression. And she almost killed Miroku when he looked at her. But Sango took care of that.

"Heeeeyyy, Sesshy's bein' a perv again!" Sin said mockingly.

"Again…?" they all asked. Sesshomaru looked away, trying to hide the color on his cheeks.

A battered, and bruised Miroku spotted Mitsuki and swiftly walked up to her. "Miss, would you consider baring my child?"

Mitsuki held up Kenkotsu. "sorry pal."

"Aw… OW, OW!" Sango dragged Miroku off by the ear.

Kagome and Inuyasha walked up to look at the baby.

"hey doesn't he look like…?" kagome started.

"Yeah…" Inuyasha said.

Sango, Shippo, and a bloody pulp that used to look like Miroku popped up behind them. "Yeah he looks almost exactly like…"

All of them said at once; "Bankotsu?"

Mitsuki's eyes widened and became tear stricken. "Bankotsu…?"

**Some where far away, in a far off land, in a far away world… okay, maybe not that far away…**

A dark figure sat across the table from a small child, playing a game of checkers.

"King me…" the figure said smiling, revealing his sharp white teeth.

The child's face overflowed with tears, and two large men came and lead her to a room in the back. And closed the doors.

"hmm..?" the figure spun his large round table, and a new board appeared. His smile grew larger.

"It looks like all the pieces are falling into place…"

**End oddly strange chappy!**

Woooo! Yes confusing I know. But at least I'm updating! Wow… I published this story over a tear ago, it doesn't seem that long ago… oh well! **AND DON'T FORGET TO UPDATE!! **Bye!


	9. Sake yumm

Hey small marshmallow birds

Hey small marshmallow birds! Was up! New chappy time! This one maybe slightly shorter…. Oh well here we go!

**Chapter 9**

Normal p.o.v.

"You mean Bankotsu is a-alive?" Mitsuki couldn't believe it. And yet she was over come with emotions. "Sin will you please hold my baby while I have an emotional breakdown?"

"Of course."

"thank you. BANKOTSUUUUU!! YOU'RE ALIVE!! THANK THE GODS!! STUPID SAMURAI!! BANKOTSU!!" she screamed falling to her knees. She went on for several more minutes before breaking for a breath.

"Done?" Sin asked.

"Not quite; BANKOTSUUUUUUUU!! okay, now I'm done."

Everyone stared blankly.

"Okay, moving on… I think its time we went on our way," Kagome said.

"Yes, please!" Inuyasha said thankfully.

San was suddenly overcome with the cold again, and began to shiver uncontrollably. Sesshomaru noticed this.

Reluctantly he took off his fluff, and draped it around her shoulders. She looked up at him surprised. His expression was bored.

"Um… thank you?"

He made no response.

It immediately calmed her shivering, so she pulled the warmth closer. Her face dug into the soft, silky fluff and she took a deem breath and sighed. It smelled like the forest after it rains, instead of a dog after a bath, like she thought it would smell like.

"He gave her the fluff!" Jaken said, just as he walked through the bushes with Rin and Ah-un.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Inuyasha asked the toad thing.

"Why should I tell you, you stupid half-breed!" Inuyasha stepped on Jaken, causing his face to be filled with dirt.

"I think I should be going now," Mitsuki said taking her baby back from Sin.

"Okay, I'll see you soon then Mitsuki," Sin said waving as her fellow Jikoku walked off.

"Rin, Jaken, Shippo, Kirara, and Ah-un, you guys go else where tonight," sin said.

"But why?"

"Because we adults have stuff to talk about, that isn't for small children." Eventually she got them to fly off.

"Well why don't we all go back and have something to drink!" sin said.

She led them all back to the campfire (after she and the rest of the girls had gotten dressed).

"Here," San said shoving Sesshomaru's fluff at him. "Thanks."

He took it and wrapped it back over his right shoulder.

Sin suddenly pulled out a jug of sake. "Drink time!" she said gulping some down, then shoving it at Inuyasha. He looked at it. "It won't kill you! But I will if you don't drink it!" she said cheerily. He quickly took a drink. It tasted wonderful. It made him slightly intoxicated.

Next Kagome. She kept saying she was too young, but some gentle _persuading _from Sin made her chug some. Then Sango and Miroku. And then San's turn.

"Umm, I'm not sure, I don't like alcohol much," she said.

"Aww, come on!"

"Well… I guess so…" she gingerly took a sip. Then another very large sip.

Then she passed it to Sesshomaru. He held it there glaring at it, as if it would run away if he did so.

"Come on Sesshy, you know you want some," Sin said.

"No."

"Yes, you do."

"No, I don't." and Sesshy and his sister went on like this for a while until San finnaly got fed up with it.

"Okay Mr. Puppy-Pants, you are going to drink some whether you like it or not!!" she shoved the jug into his mouth and forced him to gulp down some.

And then they were all drinking. But soon they all fell asleep, and they didn't even have a whole lot.

Everyone but Sin, who sat grinning evilly as she rearranged the sleeping people. She put Inuyasha and Kagome in a very suggestive pose, the same with Miroku and Sango. She then pulled out a camera, which she had confiscated from Nayamasu a while ago.

She giggled maniacally. Then the black mail pictures started.

When she moved on to Sesshomaru and San, she went all out.

First; just the two hugging in there sleep, like with the others.

Second; as if they were kissing (but not quite).

Third; she went really far. She pulled off Sesshy's armor and then his shirt and fluff. And then she put san in a very suggestive pose, where Sesshy's head was in her upper area, and she was cradling his head.

She flashed a million photos before she put it away, and also fell asleep.

The next morning…

Sesshomaru woke to screaming and a loud sit, and a throbbing head ache. He opened his eyes to see something in his face. He was to close to tell what it was. Then a sharp pain in his cheek took the grogginess away as someone slapped him.

He sat up to feel an unnatural breeze on his chest. He looked down. He wasn't wearing a shirt. He looked up. San was sitting there with her shirt sleeves falling off her shoulders, guarding her chest with her arms; her face a bright red.

Sesshomaru looked around to see Miroku and Inuyasha, faces in the dirt; Inuyasha's deeper into the ground leaving a large indent. And Kagome and Sango's faces were red too, partially with anger and partially with embarrassment.

He looked back at San. He then put two and two together.

Oh…

My…

God…

"THE FUCK?!" he yelled, looking at San who had the same horrified expression as his.

Sin, who was pretending to still be asleep pushed Sesshomaru into San's bust area.

Her face turned ten shades redder. She screamed and punched him sending him ten feet away.

**At the bloody wreckage of a used-to-be castle.**

Bankotsu sat drinking sake with the rest of his group.

"who thought we'd come back to life again, eh Big Brother?" Jakotsu said sipping his sake.

"Yeah, a very good stroke of luck," Suikotsu said.

"Sure is, and we're gunna use this new life to enjoy ourselves even more!!" Bankotsu said.

Just then a figure walked through the big doors of the wrecked castle.

"Who are you?" Bankotsu asked.

The figure looked up, and slid off her hood to reveal the crying face underneath.

"Bankotsu… you are alive…" Mitsuki said trying to hold back her sobs.

"Mitsuki..? Mitsuki!" Bankotsu got up and ran up to Mitsuki and embraced her.

"Bankotsu..! I thought you were gone forever!" she sobbed into his shirt.

He kissed her passionately. "Well, I'm back."

Just then something moved on Mitsuki's back.

"What was that…?" Bankotsu asked.

Mitsuki took off her cloak and pulled her little "package" off of her shoulders, and uncovered his face.

"Bankotsu, meet Kenkotsu… your baby boy."

**End chap**

Wow, longer than I thought. Well that's good right? I hoped you liked it! Don't forget to review!!


	10. Feelings

Hi guys! Sorry I didn't update last night, but my computer lost it's internet connection. But I'm here now! So here we go with the next chapter of DWI!!

**Chapter 10**

Normal p.o.v.

The Band of Seven members all spit out there sake, sending it in spews infornt of them when they heard the news.

"His what?!" the all screamed.

"My…baby?" he said poking it's cheek. "He's so… tiny… and squishy…"

Mitsuki laughed. "Would you like to hold him?"

Bankotsu nodded, then grabbed the baby by the foot and holding it upside down. Little Kenkotsu laughed.

"Uh, Bankotsu you're not supposed to hold him like that..!"

"He's so small. How can something this tiny and fragile be human..?" he said poking kenkotsu's cheek again. the baby laughed.

"First, he is only half human and second; STOP HOLDING HIM BY HIS FEET!!" Mitsuki said beginning to become frantic as her baby's smiling face turned red from the blood. "This is how you hold him," she said putting the baby in the correct position.

Bankotsu rocked his baby back and forth a little. "So small…"

"Wait, question," Renkotsu said.

"What?" Bankotsu asked.

"Half human?"

"Yes. I'm a demon. That's something I never told you," Mitsuki said a bit bitterly.

Bankotsu glared at his team mate, causing Renkotsu to sit back down.

"Hit everyone! Shift-shift." Another figure appeared behind Mitsuki.

"YOU!!" Renkotsu yelled.

"Oh no need to get so touchy, Renkotsu, shift-shift." The figure said.

"Renkotsu, you know this person?" Bankotsu said.

"I've met 'im before but don't know much else…" he half mumbled trying to forget the close call he'd had before.

"Ah, I see you've met you baby, huh Ban-Ban?" the figure said.

"Ban-Ban..?"

Mitsuki sighed. "Stop playing with them."

"Oh, fine. You're no fun…" the figure slid off her hood revealing her long silver hair and golden eyes. "Gosh Mitsuki dont you have a sense of humor?"

"Sin, I don't think they appreciate you torturing them very much. But I do like 'Ban-Ban' though."

Sin grinned.

Renkotsu gapped. "You were a girl!?" he screeched.

"And I'm not now..?"

'_I got beat up by a girl..?" _he wondered.

"Hey…" Bankotsu handed Kenkotsu back. "You've got the same hair and eyes as that mutt Inuyasha," he said.

"What of it?"

"So I guess you're a half breed mutt to huh? What are you his sister or something? Probably just as weak too."

Before he could do anything Bankotsu had his back against the wall and Sin was at his throat. "Don't compare me to that half breed mutt…." She said darkly. "I am nothing like him." She let him go; Mitsuki was speechless as her friend threatened to kill the one she loved.

Sin turned away from Bankotsu who was rubbing his throat. "Don't mistake my actions for sibling compassion. I hate both of my brothers… but for things to go as planned I must act otherwise…" and with that Sin disappeared.

**End of funny chappy thingy**

Wow… Sin showed her true feelings and sorry this chapter was so short, i dint have time for a longer one.

**Mitsuki; **Bankotsu! Stop holding the baby by his feet!!

**Bankotsu; **aww, but he likes it!


	11. In Modern Japan

Hey peeps! Sorry I haven't updated every night like I said I would but I picked a bad week. But I'm here now! So let's get on with the story!

**Chapter 11**

Normal p.o.v.

Kagome, Sango, and San sat away from the boys fuming to each other about the incident earlier, while Rin sat watching petting Kirara.

The boys sat with there arms crossed glaring at the ground in front of them. Each with a black eye and various other bruises.

"They didn't have to smack us so hard…" Inuyasha muttered.

"Yeah, we didn't know why we were in those positions either…" Miroku said, but thinking of the sight he had see. He had liked that view…

"…" Sesshomaru had no comment.

"Okay, Sesshomaru," san said walking up and grabbing her bag. "I'm going with Kagome to her home. Or at least try anyway."

"We'll be gone for about a week. I want to rest before we go face Naraku and the Band of Seven again," kagome said.

"What ever just hurry and come back…" Inuyasha muttered. Again Sesshomaru had no comment.

**At the well…**

"Wow… so this is the well?" San said looking down the dark hole.

"Yup… you sure you can go down this?" Kagome asked.

"I think so… my mother said she went through with me a couple of times…" San said.

"So your mom was from fifty years ago, my time?"

"Yup."

"Well I don't feel as alone now… shall we go?" Kagome asked.

"Not getting any younger," San said. And with that they both jumped into the well.

**On the other side…**

"Wow… its so much different over here than over there," San said looking at the view of the town.

"Yeah, a lot happens in 500 years. Come on lets go meet my Mom and Grandpa, and my little brother of course," Kagome said leading San to her house. "Mom! Grandpa! Sota! I'm home!"

"Welcome home dear—oh, who is this?" her mom said as she poked her head out of the kitchen.

"This is San, she's from the feudal era like Inuyasha."

"Another person from the feudal era? Is she a half demon too?" her grandpa gasped when he saw San. "It's been fifty years since I've seen that face…!" he exclaimed.

"Um… Grandpa you couldn't have seen her because this is her first time here—that she can remember," Kagome said.

"No, you're right she cant be Hanabi…"

"Hanabi? You knew my mother?" San said.

"Your mother? Well that would explain the resemblance. Yes I did know her, although its been about 51 years since I last saw her. She went into the well a lot. Like you Kagome.

"I was just a young boy back then, and Hanabi would come to this shrine and go into that well, almost every day. And one day she just didn't come back... although I suppose she made a family there, eh?" he said gesturing to San.

"so that explains why you were able to come through the well," Kagome said.

"Well how is your mother anyway?" Grandpa asked.

"Oh she's…uh… not… with us anymore…" she said looking at her feet.

"Oh… I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said.

"Well," Kagome said trying to lighten the mood, "Why don't we go up to my room and find you some other clothes to wear. Then we'll go out and get you some that you can keep here for when you visit."

San smiled. "Sounds good."

**Back in the feudal era…**

Sin sat in a large field, looking at Mt. Hakurei. She leaned back and sighed. And when she went to refill her lungs she caught a scent. Nayamasu… she glared thinking of him, and her glare hit two small bunnies playing in the field. The saw the glaring woman and squeaked with fear as they ran off.

"SIN!!" Nayamasu came out of no where and glomped onto Sin, only to be angrily shoved off. "Aww… why do you not love me?!"

"Because I already have a husband!" she yelled at him. "And besides that you're annoying!"

"Well then where is this so-called-husband of yours?" he asked.

"At the moment, he is sealed away but soon he will be set free…" she said her eyes getting hazy for a moment.

Nayamasu got up dusting himself off. "Oh is it that whats-his-name guy? What was it again…? Shiro, Shito…"

"Shido, and he happens to be a very powerful wolf demon who could easily kick your ass Nayamasu," she said.

"Well, I have the power to time travel, so I might as well change history so you don't meet him! Then make you fall in love with me!!" he said pulling out a jug of sake and chugging it.

"Nayamasu don't you dare…" she warned.

"Yes," he hiccupped, "I dare." But as he tried to open the portal Sin tackled him. He attempted to shake her off with no luck. And the portal opened up and they both fell in.

**Back in the present…**

Kagome and San walked up the stairs to the Higarashi shrine, carrying their shopping bags. They hadn't bought much, just some clothes for when San came to this side of the well and a new shirt for Kagome.

"That was more fun than I expected," San said.

"Yeah I don't get to do that very often anymore. It's a nice change," Kagome said.

"Well next time I come we'll have to—what the hell?"

Right in front of them a portal opened up and two people fell out. Sin and a very drunk Nayamasu. The two parted from their squabble and Sin got up and looked around.

She kicked Nayamasu. "You dumbass! You brought us to the future not the past!" she screamed.

"Well s-sorry that seems to happen," he hiccupped, "a lot when I drink before teleporting. Well b-bye!" and with that he disappeared into another portal.

Sin screamed with fury and kicked at the spot where he had just been. She looked up to see San and Kagome.

"Hey you two!" she said running over to them.

"Sin… what was that all about?"

"Just Nayamasu being an idiot again." She replied shortly.

**Couple of hours later…**

The sun was slowly beginning to set, and after tons of begging to stay, Sin sat happily on Kagome's bed.

"Oh darn!" Kagome said after she set down the platter of tea.

"What?" Sin and San said at the same time.

"I forgot about school! I have to study!! And you guys are going to have to stay here when I go," she said searching for her books.

"Why?"

"Yeah I wanted to see what a school looks like first hand!" Sin said.

"Well first of all, you have white hair, gold eyes, and an hour glass on your forehead. And you… actually you might be able to pass…" she said.

"Well if she can go then why cant I?!" Sin demanded child-like.

"I just said why."

"well…" Sin closed her eyes and concentrated. Slowly her purple-blue hourglass disappeared. And when she opened her eyes they were brown. "Does that help?"

"Whoa… uh, yeah… I guess you can come… just stay like that so people don't find out you're a demon," kagome said opening a too-huge text book.

Just as the sun set covering everything in shadow, San looked out the window to see something down below.

"Whats that?" she said. Sin and Kagome walked over and looked out.

"It looks like… a man."

Sin giggled.

"What?"

"Its Sesshy."

"What?!" san ran out the door and down the stairs.

And when she got outside she was horrified at what she saw.

It was indeed Mr. Puppy-Pants.

Jus take out the pants part.

And he was dancing.

Kagome and Sin walked up behind San.

"Wow… that ain't a pretty sight," Sin said.

Sesshomaru stopped dancing and looked around. He saw the three girls. Two of whose faces were turning red. Then he looked down.

No shirt.

Pants around ankles.

And a jug of sake labeled "Special Yokai Sake," in his hand.

He looked back at the girls.

San's face had turned almost forty shades redder. Which was hard to do. Then she screamed.

"SESSHOMARU YOU SICKO!!" and threw a bucket at him which he narrowly avoided.

**End funny chappy**

Okay, first I would like to thank _KiraraTwoTail _for giving me the idea for this chapter. And the next one. Hope you liked it! Don't for get to REVIEW!! Bye!


	12. Good puppy!

Hey guys, I'm sorry its been awhile, but my brother just came back from the army so its been kinda hectic. But now its time for the next chapter of DWI!!!!

**Chapter 12**

Normal p.o.v.

Sesshomaru sat on kagome's desk chair his legs and arm crossed, glaring at the floor. And Kagome, Sin and San sat on the bed staring at him. (and don't worry his pants are one now).

He looked around at the strange room he was in.

"What is this place..?" he said.

"This is Kagome's house. But that's not the point right now!" San said. "What I want to know is how the hell you got here and why you were dancing around drunk!!"

"And without clothes." Sin said non-chalant sort of way.

A light blush went over San's cheeks. "We don't need to relive that…"

Sin smirked.

A light breeze came in through the window.

Kagome shivered. "Maybe we should get him a shirt, since its kind of chilly."

"That's 'cause your window is open…"

"Oh, right." Kagome got up and closed the window.

"But I think your right, he needs a shirt... Come on Kagome lets go find Sesshy a shirt!" Sin said grabbing kagome's hand. "San you wait here and make she he doesn't go crazy!" she said cheerfully as she dragged Kagome out of the room and shut the door.

"B-but..! wait! Sin! That isn't fair…."

The two sat in silence staring at the floor for a long while.

When San glanced up at Sesshomaru for the first time she noticed his missing arm. She couldn't help but stare.

Sesshy noticed her staring. "Inuyasha cut it off."

San jumped. "O-o-oh? I-I wasn't staring or anything its just that…yeah…."

They sat a long while more in silence.

"D…does it bother you at all? The missing arm and all.." san asked nervously.

"…" he made no comment. San sighed in defeat.

"What is taking those two..?" she wondered out loud.

"….Not really…" he muttered.

"huh?"

"The answer to your question. It doesn't really bother me." He said coldly.

"Oh…"

"HEY YOU TWO!!! WE'RE BACK!!!" Sin yelled happily as she and Kagome walked through the door. Sin threw a kimono top at Sesshomaru. "Here, it might be a bit small but its all we could find that you might fine comfortable."

"Smells like human…."

"Suck it up."

"…" he quietly put the kimono top on.

"Now to the other matter we were talking about before the naked puppy showed up," Sin said sitting down on the floor. "School!"

Kagome sighed. "Well I guess… but your hair sticks out like a sore thumb."

"We could dye it?" San suggested. "Temporarily I mean."

"That might work…. I think I have some black dye in here…" Kagome dug through her drawers, then pulled out a thing of hair dye.

"Yay!! I get to go to school!!!"

"But what are we going to do with him..?"

They all turned and looked at Sesshomaru.

"…"

"I guess he'll just have to stay here," kagome said.

"Now Mr. Puppy-Pants, can you stay out of trouble tomorrow while we're gone?" Sin asked him in the same tone of voice you would use with a small child.

He just glared at her. But nodded.

"Good puppy!" she said petting his head.

If stares could kill, sin would have died ten thousand times over, the way Sesshomaru was glaring at her.

"Well its late we should go to sleep." Kagome said, setting out some blow-up mattresses.

Sesshomaru got up and jumped out the window, then onto the roof.

"Well someone's a little grumpy," Sin said, flopping down on a bed. "These futon's are much more comfy than the ones I'm used to are." Sin said, pulling the covers up, and turning off the light.

"Thats cause you sleep on the ground..." San said.

"...point..."

"Night."

"Night."

"Night."

Silence.

"…school, school, school," Sin chanted quietly.

"Good night, Sin..!" Kagome and San said.

"Fine, fine…"

**End chappy**

Yeah kinda short, but the next onw will be longer.. maybe. Reviews!!


	13. Doodle

Hi guys, and Merry Christmas!!! Well right now, cuz that's when I started writing this chapter. My co-writer/co-creator of my stories has been bugging the crap out of me to start the chapters. –cough- dangit! I hate bein sick on holidays. But I have enough energy to write this chapter! So here we go!! The new chapter of DWI!!!

**Chapter 13—**

Normal p.o.v.

"WAKE UP EVERYBODY!! ITS TIME FOR SCHOOL!!!!" Sin said dancing around kagome's room.

San flipped over an pulled the sleeping bag over her head. "Five mr' mnts…" she managed to mumble.

Kagome sat up, rubbing her eyes. She looked over at her alarm clock just as it rang. She sighed. "Okay, mom probably has breakfast ready." Kagome got up and made her way down stairs.

"Wake up sleepyhead!!" Sin said kicking the lump known as San, who was lying on the floor.

"MmmMmmhh!"

"huh?"

"L'meh lone'! slp..!" she mumbled.

Sin put her hand on her hips. "You better wake up or I'm showing these pictures to everyone back home."

"What pictures…?" San grumbled, shuffling around to see the pictures in Sin's hand. Her eyes went wide and she hopped up out of bed and ran down stairs.

Sin smiled and looked at the pictures in her hand. "I knew these would come in handy."

After breakfast, Kagome found two extra uniforms for Sin and San to wear.

"These clothes are so… tiny!" San said looking at the short skirt she was wearing.

"I feel so free!!" Sin said, twirling her skirt.

"Okay….. well lets head to school guys!" Kagome said picking up her bag and walking down stairs, San following and Sin skipping happily behind.

When they were outside Sin turned to look up at Sesshomaru who sitting on the roof. "Now Mr. Puppy-Pants, you stay here while we're gone." He just glared at her. "That's a good boy." She said motioning him with her hand to 'stay.' This just caused him to glare even more. "That's a good puppy!" she taunted. He was about to get up and attack her with his poison claws, when San Shook her finger at him.

"Stay." When she said this, Sesshomaru seemed to be sucked down to the roof. He fell flat on his face then rolled off of the roof, landing on the ground, his face in the dirt. Sin couldn't stop laughing. San looked at her finger. Then grinned evilly.

"Okay, lets go to school," Kagome said.

**School…**

Kagome, Sin and San walked down the halls one their way to class, when they accidentally ran into two girls.

"Oh, sorry about that we weren't paying attention—" the first one said, seeming to stop abruptly at the end of her sentence.

"Oh no, it was our fault," Kagome said.

The two girls stare at Sin and San, with wide eyes.

"Hey, could they be…?" one started.

"I think they are…" the other one said. Then they both ran down the halls, screaming frantically.

"………."

"Than was weird…." Sin said.

"Pretty much…"

After everyone had sat down, and Kagome had introduced her new friends, Sin and San were realizing how boring school was. Sin was on the verge of sleep, and San was staring blankly into space. Then her gaze drifted to the window. Her eys nearly popped out of her head.

Sitting on the outside window sill were two silvery-white haired boys. One with ears on the top of his head, the other with tattoos covering his face.

Yes, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were staring in the window, sitting in plain sight.

San turned to kagome and tried to get her attention. She threw a ball of paper at her head. Kagome looked over and saw San pointing at the window. She looked. And almost screamed, but was able to cover her mouth in time.

Kagome then whispered; "Sit," and Inuyasha lost his balance and fell. But he managed to grab Sesshomaru's shirt. Sesshy was barely hanging onto the roof.

San the looked down at her desk and whispered; "Stay" and Sesshomaru lost his grip and both dogs fell to the ground, 3 stories below.

Kagome and San sighed with relief.

**Outside…**

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were on the ground, in a slight crater.

"W-why does she do this to me..?!" Inuyasha whined.

The brothers got untangled from each others hair and claws, and sat there pouting. Then Inuyasha spotted something on the ground. He hopped over and picked it up.

"Whats this thing?" he said looking at it. He pulled at it and the black part of it popped off, revealing a strange smelling black tip. He put it up to his nose and smelled it, leaving a black smudge under his nose, of which he was unaware of. Then he poked at it.

"It's wet.." he said, then examined the small black dot that was now on his finger.

Sesshomaru let his curiosity get the better of him and walked over to see what Inuyasha had. He snatched it away from his brother's hand.

"Hey, that's mine!"

Sesshomaru said nothing and looked at the strange thing. He smelled it too. Then the brothers started passing it back and forth, smelling it in between.

"I feel funny…" Inuyasha said, slightly light headed. Then took the writing utensil and shoved it up his nose and took a long sniff. Then passed out.

Sesshomaru just sat there. Staring at nothing. then he took the bristle-less paint brush, as they had decided to call it, and looked at it. And an evil plan hatched…

**Awhile later…**

"What the heck?" Sin said looking at her passed out brothers, who each had black ink over their faces, Inuyasha's being his entire face, where as Sesshomaru who just had some up his nose.

"What happened to them..?" San asked.

Kagome leaned down and took something out of Sesshy's hand. "The got a hold of a Sharpie…"

After explaining to Sin and San what a "Sharpie" was, she kicked Inuyasha's leg.

"Hey Inuyasha, wake up! What did I say bout following me to school!!"

Inuyasha grumbled and put a hand on his face. Then dragged it over his ink-stricken face, smearing the ink every where. "Mm, is it time to wake up..?"

The girls couldnt help but laughing.

--

After getting both of the boys cleaned up as much as possible, everyone was standing around the well, kagome's family also.

"You guys be carueful over there," Kagome's mom said.

"Alright mom, we will."

"So we just jump in right?" Sin asked looking down the dark hole.

"That's the idea," Kagome said, sitting on the edge of the well. "Okay, lets go!"

One by one they all jumped in. Sesshomaru stopped and gave back the shirt he borrowed, then jumped in.

"There they go again…" Kagome's mom said with a sad tone.

"Just remember dear," Grandpa said, "That those kids are probably making our time the way it is; safe and peaceful."

**End chap!**

Random chapter yes, I know. And I know its been a long time since I updated. Special thanks to my co-writer and best friend Mikki-chan a.k.a. FinalSymphony, for hounding me to update. _**PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_


	14. Goodbyes

Hey peeps. Been awhile, I know, but I've been busy. And I'm gunna be busy over spring break too. So on with da chapter!!!

**Chapter 13---**

((A/N; I did a small time skip so quick recap; Mitsuki is stuck inside of Mt. Hakurei with Inuyasha and his peeps, plus Sin. And San is with Sesshomaru outside of the mountain. We'll start inside, with Mitsuki, Sin, and the Inu-peeps.))

"Naraku you bastard!!" Inuyasha screamed.

Naraku's bodiless head laughed, as one of his tentacles lifted the motionless body of Bankotsu up. Mitsuki became frantic struggling to break free of Naraku's tentacles.

"Bankotsu!!"

No answer.

"Bankotsu…!!" but still his body lay motionless; unresponsive. Then Naraku reached down to Bankotsu, and dug into his arm, removing the jewel shards. And Bankotsu's body dissolved, and his bones fell into the pit of blackness below them.

"B…Ban…kotsu…" Mitsuki stared in horror. "Bankotsu…Bankotsu…" she kept repeating. The yelling of Inuyasha and the others around her became meaningless noise.

"Mitsuki…" Sin said, with a warning tone, standing ontop of one of the fleshy wall's leges.

Suddenly the tentacles around Mitsuki exploded, but she still floated in the same spot; her head was bent down, and her hair fell in front of her eyes.

"What the…" Naraku stared at the girl. How had she broken free?

"Naraku…"

"Damn… she's pissed." Sin said, taking a small step back.

"Naraku!!" Mitsuki screamed in a fit of rage. She put out her hand; open palmed, towards Naraku, and a shield formed around his head. He choked and coughed.

"Wh-what the hell?!" he said surprised. "I can't b-breath!" he gasped.

Mitsuki looked at Naraku with such hatred it made him truly scared, even with the tears running down her cheeks.

Inuyasha and the peeps stared, also slightly afraid of Mitsuki.

"What the h-hell?" Inuyasha said.

"I-if she keeps that up—"

"She'll kill him!" Sango finished Miroku's sentence.

They all stared as Naraku slowly suffocated; slowly died. Something they couldn't manage to do together, a single person was doing it so easily, seemingly without effort.

Naraku's air ran out, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head, his gasps of air going un answered. Then one person's yell made everyone stop and look.

"Mitsuki!" Sin yelled in a strong voice. "That is enough. It is not yet time for him to die," she said calmly.

Mitsuki glanced back at Naraku and sighed, reluctantly releasing him. He gasped at the sudden supply of air. She floated down to the ledge in front of an entrance.

Sin threw a small piece of Bankotsu's bone at Mitsuki. She caught it easily.

"Don't worry. Karada is close by." Sin said. Mitsuki looked with semi-wide eyes, then nodded, and turned and walked out of the passage behind her, leaving the others to whatever fate they faced.

Inuyasha snapped back to reality. "Why the hell didn't you let her kill him?!" he barked at his sister (no pun intended). "No matter how much I want to be the one to kill Naraku… Why?!"

"Because it's not time yet," she said, expressionless. "Good bye little brother," and with that she faded into thin air.

---

A few minutes later;

Sesshomaru, Jaken, and San made their way towards Mt. Hakurei, when the ground shook. San stumbled, but before she fell Sesshomaru caught her. She looked up at his face. It was rather close. She blushed and stood back up. "Th-thank you…" The ground shook again and they all looked towards the mountain.

The three watched as Mt. Hakurei collapsed, and a large orb of light exploded out of the top, then landed somewhere near the foot of the deceased mountain.

Sesshomaru began to float up into the air. It took San and Jaken a fraction of a second to realize he was about to fly off, and jumped onto him; Jaken holding firmly to Sesshy's fluff, and San holding onto his armor, careful not to stab herself on the spikes.

"You could warn us before you fly off!" San said, slightly pissed off. Sesshomaru made no response.

As they flew to the spot where the orb had landed, two figures came into view. One was strange, with spikes and tentacles sticking out of its back. The other was in a priestess outfit. San realized that one of the people was Kikyo. The other took longer to recognize.

It wasn't until they were about twenty feet away that she realized it was Naraku. Then, he stabbed through Kikyo's chest with a tentacle, sending her flying into a river of miasthma far below.

"Lady Kikyo..!" San said, starring in horror.

As soon as Sesshomaru set down, San ran over and looked over the edge into the river, trying to see Kikyo's body. Nothing.

San hadn't realized Naraku had left until Inuyasha had come up behind her and picked up Kikyo's broken bow.

"Inuyasha…" she looked at him, seeing that he was in pain.

Inuyasha turned to Sesshomaru and accused him of not saving Kikyo. But of course, Sesshomaru, being the butt we all know he can be, said that it was Inuyasha's fault. San was horrified at how heartless he was being. And as he turned away, San couldn't help it. She marched up to him. He turned just in time to see her hand.

Her hand struck his face, causing it to turn and a large reddened spot was on the right side of his face.

"How can you be so cruel?!" she yelled at him. "Inuyasha just lost someone dear to him! You could be at least a little less of an ass hole!" tears were building in her eyes.

Jaken stared, his jaw dropped. She just hit Lord Sesshomaru!!

Sesshomaru also looked with wide eyes. But the expression soon left his face and the bored look he always wore took its' place.

But before he could say anything, San was walking off.

"Where are you going you insolent little girl?! Apologize to Lord Sesshomaru!!" Jaken screeched.

She stopped, but didn't turn around. "Tell Rin… that I'm sorry." And she continued walking.

Sesshomaru 'humph'-ed, and started walking the opposite direction. Who cared if she left? Just one less worry for him to have tag along.

But Rin hadn't taken it so easily. When she found out, she'd started to cry. And didn't stop crying. She started blaming Jaken, then screamed for Sesshomaru to bring her back. After a couple of hours, Sesshy experienced his first migraine.

---

San sat on the edge of a river staring into the water. A crack in the bushes behind her, made her jump. She was surprised to see Sesshomaru trudge through the brush. But the weirdest thing was, he wasn't wearing his armor.

"What do you want?" she asked angrily turning back to the water.

"I wanted to apologize…" he said leaning down next to her, his voice soft by her ear.

Strange… he said more that one word…

San turned to look at him. "You are?" she asked in disbelief.

He put his hand on her shoulder. "Yes, I am."

She stood up and walked a couple feet away. "Are you feeling okay…?"

Sesshomaru stood up as well. "Yeah, why do you ask…?" he said walking closer.

"Y-you just seem, different," she said backing up into the tree.

He put his hand on the tree near her head and leaned closer. "You still haven't accepted my apology…" his voice a seductive purr.

San swallowed hard. Something didn't seem… "Why should I?"

"Why are you so defensive…? Well, if you wont accept an apology, then…" he leaned even closer, their faces only inches away.

Her heart was beating a million miles an hour.

"What's with that frightened look..?" he asked, with a small smirk crossing his face. "I'm just showing you how I feel…" he whispered. Then his lips forced themselves on hers.

She squeeked, attempted to push away but… This wasn't right, she knew it, and yet, it was Sesshomaru. At least it looked like him… Why was he acting this way?

All these questions rushed through her mind, but she relaxed just a little. Sesshomaru removed his had from the tree and put it on her shoulder. Then started pulling her top off.

Okay. Now she knew something was wrong.

San attempted to push him away, but then he wrapped his other arm around her to keep her from struggling.

…

Wait…

His _other _arm?!

There wasn't a single doubt in her mind now. This person was not Sesshomaru. So she pushed as hard as she could, but the man didn't budge. So she tried to kick him. But the sudden pull from the right jolted her, throwing the kick off.

A dark laugh came from above her as the pressure on her lips was released; she gasped for breath.

"So you came, eh, Sesshomaru..?"

"Naraku you despicable vermin, what are you doing?"

Naraku?! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeewwww!!!!! San felt like throwing up. She opened her eyes.

"Sessh—" Naraku slapped her.

"You don't need to talk, wench."

Sesshomaru almost seemed to growl.

"Well, I'm sorry I cant stay and chat but, we must take our leave," Naraku said. Then jumped into the air to fly away.

"Sesshomaru!!" San screamed.

Moo…….. I know, weird as always, but what can I do? So, now that I updated everyone who reads this chapter must _**REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**_ I mean, you don't have too – _**REVIEW **_– but I'm just sayin –_**REVIEW!!!!**_ But you don't have to – _**REVIEW!!! **_ But it would be nice if you did – _**REVIEW!!!! **_Thank you! :D


	15. Bonus

Um, yeah, hi I know its been awhile but I've just been lacking in inspiration for my stories. So don't kill me! –dodges flying sporks--

Well, anyways, this wont be an incredibly long chapter but you'll find out what happened to Mitsuki and this mysterious Karada person. So here we go!

**Chapter 15-bonus chap---**

Normal p.o.v.

Mitsuki walked away from the dark crumbling remains of Mt. Hakurei, holding the small piece of Bankotsu's bone Sin had given her earlier. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at the small amount of remains. The sound of baby Kenkotsu giggling made her look up.

A tall woman with curly black hair stood in front of her cuddling the little infant. The woman turned her bright purple eyes towards Mitsuki. She smiled warmly.

"Hello Mitsuki," she said in a kind warm voice.

Mitsuki's tears doubled as she ran up and hugged the woman holding her baby. "Karada..!" she sobbed. "Please, y-you have to bring him back!"

Karada patted Mitsuki's back with one arm while positioning the baby in the other. "I know dear, I know… Do you have a piece of him..?" she asked kindly.

Mitsuki pulled away, wiping her eyes, and handed Karada the piece of Bankotsu's bone.

"Very good," she said, handing Mitsuki her baby while taking the bone. "This could take a while, so why don't you get some rest," she said, setting the bone on the ground and sitting in front of it.

Mitsuki nodded, settling down on the ground, holding her baby close to her. And before she knew it she was fast asleep. But what seemed like only moments later someone was shaking her awake.

"Mitsuki…Mitsuki…! I'm done. It is your turn now," Karada said, as Mitsuki sat up.

Mitsuki looked around Karada and saw Bankotsu laying on the grass, as if he was asleep. She crawled over the motionless body, and gently stroked his face. "Bankotsu…" She sighed, and gently placed her hands over his chest, and a small light fell from the sky. She turned her palms up and caught the small light, and carefully place it on his chest where it seemed to absorb into his body.

Mitsuki held her breath as she waited for movement. And slowly, but surely his chest began to rise and fall. And then his eyes opened.

"Mit…suki..?"


	16. Stolen Innocence

Wow… its been a reeeeaaalllllyyyy long time since I've updated. Well, its seems like a really long time. I went back and read chapter 14 and didn't remember half of what I'd written…. And as I'm typing this, I'm having the strangest feeling of déjà vu. TWILIGHT ZONE!!!! Dodododododo…! I'm hyper, can ya tell? Well, lets get on with the story!!!!

Disclaimer (since I haven't done one in a while); I do not own the Inuyasha series… only in my dreams…. –sigh- anyways!

**Chapter 16---**

'_San…San! Wake up you ditz!' _the voice in San's head yelled angrily.

She groaned, rolling over onto her side. She hurt everywhere. Even in places she hadn't hurt before.

'_God, how can you sleep through all of that?!' _the voice in her head said franticly.

_Sleep through what…? _She thought back to him.

'_Think, genius. You're in a bed. And you have a lack of clothing.' _

_What are you…--? _

She shot up out of the bed, sending the covers flying. Quickly gathering them to cover her bear skin up, San looked around to find herself in a strange room with no windows. Something at the end of the bed caught her eye. A black an red kimono with a note attached;

_San,_

_Hope you enjoyed it. I did. So here is a token of my…appreciation._

_-Naraku._

"Wait… are you saying that Naraku and me…?" she said out loud.

'_Yes!! Now do you understand?! He rapped you! And the worst part was, I was still awake even though you weren't!! Do you know how nasty that is to do it with another guy?! Even it I am in the body of a woman, its still nasty! Even worse is that it was my s—' _he stopped short.

_He's your what?_

'_Nothing, it isn't important. Now what you need to do is find a way out of here.' _

San nodded in agreement. Even though she didn't want to, she grabbed the kimono and quickly put it on. It had a weird, almost slimy texture, making her think of what happened earlier, causing her gag reflexes to act up.

'_Don't even try to imagine what happened!! I don't need reminders!!'_

_Sorry…_

San slipped off of the bed, and walked over to the door. She pushed, but with no result.

_Its barred…_

'_No, ya think?!'_

_You aren't helping me…_

'_Sorry, I just want out of here as soon as possible..'_

_You aren't the only one…_

Just then the door opened and Naraku stood in front of her. Before she could react, he slammed a hand into her shoulder sending her flying back onto the bed, across the room.

"You aren't trying to escape now are you?" he said evilly, walking over and hovering above the helpless girl, who's back was throbbing uncontrollably.

All of a sudden he was on top of her, pushing her kimono skirt up her leg. Her struggles seemed useless. "Calm down… you didn't reject me last night…" he purred disgustingly.

"I was unconscious dumb ass! Or else I would have killed myself before I ever let you touch me..!" she said, still struggling.

He smirked, then dug his fingernails into her shoulder and her thigh, causing her to scream in pain as the miasthma seeped into her flesh. "Don't worry… I'll get to that…" He said, leaning his face closer to hers.

'_Not again!' _the voice in her head seemed to wince at what was happening.

But before Naraku got any further, the door flung open and a glowing green whip forced Naraku off of San.

Sesshomaru stood in the door way, hand glowing, glaring at Naraku with eyes that yearned to kill.

"Sesshomaru!" San cried happily, scrambling across the floor and hiding behind his leg, holding onto him tightly.

Sesshomaru glanced at the girl cowering at his feet, then up at Naraku. "What did you do to this girl..?" he said angrily.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naraku said in a smart-ass-teenage kind of way.

Sesshomaru pulled out his Tokijin and sliced Naraku to pieces. And not staying to see if he'd killed Naraku, Sesshomaru grabbed San around the waist and flew from the miasthma encased castle.

He didn't stop until the castle was no where in sight, or smell, and landed next to a small lake, gently setting the girl on the ground.

But she didn't let go. She clung tightly to her savior, afraid to let go; afraid that if she did, she'd find out he wasn't there to begin with, and find herself back at Naraku's castle.

"San…" Sesshomaru said, peeling the girl off of him. "What happened..?" he spoke softly, trying not to frighten her.

She curled up into a ball, shaking. Even though the voice in her head had tried to keep the images sealed away from her, they'd broken through when he thought it was going to happen again. The memories scared her. More than anything else.

Sesshomaru sighed, then noticed the blood on her shoulder. Her blood had miasthma mixed in with it… a lot of it mixed in. He was about to get up and find some medicine, when she spoke.

"He…he…" she stuttered, then whispered almost inaudible, what Naraku had done to her.

As usual Sesshomaru showed little, to no emotion, but inside he was disgusted. He grabbed her shoulder and examined the cuts as best he could through her clothes.

"Naraku gave you these clothes..?" She nodded. "Take them off."

Her head shot up and she stared at him, confused.

He stood up and took off his kimono top (keeping his under-shirt-type-kimono on) and handed it to her. "Wear this instead." She nodded weakly, and took the shirt from him, walking over to the edge of the lake.

Before slipping the kimono off, she peeked over her shoulder, to make sure Sesshomaru was looking the other way. He was sitting on the opposite side of a tree that sat a few yards away.

"Why did you let him get close to you?" Sesshomaru asked, still not looking, as San dipped into the water.

"Huh?"

"Even though he was disguised as me… you let him get so close to you… in a way you let _me _get that close to you… why…?"

"Oh, well…I, uh…" she struggled to find an answer as she stared at her reflection in the water.

'_Cuz you like him,' _the voice in her head teased. She pinched her forehead to shut him up.

"I'm not sure…" she finally said. Sesshomaru grunted in response then stayed quiet.

After redressing in Sesshomaru's kimono top, which only just covered her up, San wobbled over to the white haired Yokai, almost falling on him, as a result of the miasthma in her system.

"Th-thank you for letting me use your kimono…" she said.

Sesshomaru looked up at her, noticing how pale she looked, and the claw marks on her thigh.

"Um, if you wouldn't mind doing one more thing for me… could we stop at a village for some medicine?"

He sighed, and then leaned over for her to climb on his back. Once she was on, he took off into the air.

**At Kaede's village…**

"Damnit!! Why didn't Sin let that one chick kill Naraku?!" Inuyasha yelled, angrily biting into a piece of chicken. "I mean, I would rather kill the bastard myself, but at least he'd be dead!"

"Yes, I can see what you mean…" Miroku said, sipping on some tea. "It would have made our lives easier."

"But what did she mean when she said—" Sango was cut off when the bamboo mat in front of the door way was pushed aside to reveal San and Sesshomaru.

Inuyasha shot up and got ready to draw his sword. "What are you doing here, Sesshomaru?!" His brother made no response.

"Umm, is Kaede here…?" San asked timidly.

That's when everyone noticed.

"WHY THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING SESSHOMARU'S SHIRT?!"

* * *

Moo. That's all I have to say.


	17. Sin's Past

Wow… its been a reeeeaaalllllyyyy long time since I've updated. I went back and read chapters 15 and 16; didn't remember half of what I'd written. So lets get on with it! An entire chapter dedicated to Sin!!!

**Chapter 17—**

Sin walked along an old abandoned trail, overgrown with bushes and fallen logs. The grey sky above her boomed loudly, just as it started to pour.

"Dammit…" she muttered as the heavy rain quickly soaked her clothing. Just then she walked out into a small open field with a small run-down hut near the center. It looked like a good enough shelter to her, so she went inside.

Sin examined the small building. "A few leaks, but it'll be good enough to wait out the storm," she muttered to herself. A dusty scroll sitting on the table in the corner caught her eye.

Walking over, she picked it up and gently unrolled the ancient paper. She gasped.

"Mother…" Sin said softly looking at the oil painting of her mother. That's when she remembered where she was.

This was her childhood home.

_**Flashback**_

"Daddy!" a very tiny Sin said, jumping into her father's arms. "You promised you'd be home last night..!" she small girl complained.

The Great Dog Demon laughed gently at his little daughter. "I'm sorry, I promise I wont be late next time," he said setting her back on the floor.

"That's what you said LAST time…" she pouted. "When can I go hunting with you?"

The white-haired-yokai sighed. "Sin…"

"Please? Just to watch?" she begged, using the puppy-dog-eyes that she'd inherited from her father.

He groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Fine, but promise you'll stay right next to me the whole time?"

"I promise!" she said. "Thank you, Daddy, thank you!"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, alright, why don't you go play?" She nodded and ran outside.

He sat down hard on the floor. "What would your mother say..?" he asked himself, looking at an oil painting of his dead wife. He gazed at her long black hair, and the elegant white silk kimono she wore.

"She looks so much like you…" he muttered before putting it back on a small shelf.

Three days later; on the hunting trip—

"Sin! Don't get so far ahead!" her father said as Sin ran farther away, dangerously close to the edge of the cliff and a raging river below.

"I'll be fine!" she yelled back.

"Be careful of the cliff!" he yelled as she went around a corner out of his sight. Suddenly he heard her scream. "Sin!!" Running at lightning speed he rounded the corner to see a large bear demon huffing angrily, a small piece of Sin's red kimono top on his claws.

"You bastard!!" the Dog Demon yelled, pulling out his sword and attacking the bear.

"Daddy..!" Sin screamed, hanging on the edge of a cliff.

"Hold on!" he yelled back to her as he sliced the demon up one more time before it stumbled back into the trees.

"DADDY!!" she screamed even louder as her fingers slipped from the rocks, sending her plummeting into the white water below.

"SIN!!" he screamed, falling to his knees to look over the edge. But he saw nothing. Nothing but the angry river, rushing over sharp outcroppings of rocks.

"SIN!!" he yelled again, jumping down and landing on a slippery rock, almost loosing his balance. He tried to yell again but the water was too loud.

The Great Dog Demon spent days, looking up and down the river… but he never found his precious little girl.

A week later; some where up the river-

A middle-aged woman sat at the edge of the river crying as she did her laundry. The poor woman and her husband had been trying for a child for so long, and the woman had given up hope. When something washed up on the bank she dried her eyes and cautiously walked over to investigate.

"Oh my..!" she gasped when she saw a young child with silver hair lying unconscious on the sand. "Hello..?" she leaned down and gently shook the child. "Are you alright…?"

The small girl groaned and rolled over onto her back. "D…Daddy…"

Just then the woman's husband came up behind her. "Yue, what's wrong?"

"Jinsei, look," Yue pointed the young girl. Her husband knelt down next to her.

"…D…Dad…DADDY!" the girl screamed, sitting up suddenly, then falling back down, into the woman's arms.

"Are you alright child?" Jinsei asked.

"Are your parents near by?" Yue asked.

"…" the girl opened her mouth, but nothing came out. A puzzled look crossed her face.

"Do…do you not know how to speak child…?" Yue asked.

She made a small grunting sound.

"I… guess that's a yes?" Jinsei said. "Come on, let's take her home and dry her off."

-

"Does that feel better?" Yue asked as she poured more hot water into the bath that the small girl was comfortably nestled into. She put her mouth and nose under the water and blew some bubbles. Yue laughed, then her elbow slipped off the edge of the tub and into the water, wetting her fore arm and some of her hair. "Oh darn…" she said, drying off her arm and ringing out her hair.

The girl gently took a lock of Yue's long black hair and held it up to her silver hair. She closed her eyes and concentrated. Slowly, her silver hair turned black. When she opened her eyes her hair was completely black. She smiled expectantly.

Yue stared in disbelief. "How did you…?"

The girl's expression saddened. "….?"

"Uh- oh, don't be sad..!" Yue said quickly, patting the girl on the head. "That was a very nice trick. But make sure not to do that in front of anyone else."

She smiled and nodded.

"Hmm… you still need a name for us to call you, don't we?" Yue pondered out loud. "How about… Tsumi?"

The girl looked up thoughtfully, then nodded with a large smile on her face.

Later….

Tsumi, as she was now called, lay on her new bed, a beam of light from the fire in the other room cast an orange glow on her face. Yue and Jinsei sat around the fire, talking about what had happened earlier.

"She must be a demon…" Jinsei said, staring solemnly into the fire.

"W-we can't be sure of that..!" Yue said defensively.

"Then how do you explain the silver hair? And the purple hour glass on her forehead? And then her _changing_ her hair color..? Yue, you have to accept it."

"Please, Jinsei… the poor thing doesn't remember a thing, not even how to talk. And she was barely able to walk…" Yue said.

He sighed. "Yue, I know you want a child, but we can have one of our own, you don't need to—"

"No, Jinsei, we can't..! We've tried so many times… If I haven't conceived by now, I don't think I ever will! I think Buddha sent us this child, to answer my prayers for a child… I just can't give her up..!" Yue began to break down. Sighing, Jinsei crawled over to comfort her.

"Alright… I see what you mean. We'll keep her."

Yue's face lit up with a smile. "Oh thank you, dear…"

Just then Tsumi crawled out of her room, rubbing her eyes. Yue got up and went over to pick the small girl up. Jinsei got up as well and wrapped his arms around both girls.

"Guess we're a family now," he said, kissing Tsumi on the top of her head. She giggled.

-

Over the years, Tsumi remembered how to talk and do everyday things, but she never remembered who she was. As the years passed by, as her parents and the other children of the village aged, Tsumi stayed exactly the same, aging only about a year by the time her parents were old and gray. And all too soon, her father passed.

-

Tsumi woke up like usual and went over to her mother's room to wake her.

"Mother, its time to wake up," she said peeking in. Her mother made no movement so she walked over and rested her hand on her mother's arm. Instantly she new something was off. "It's time to wake up," she said shaking her mother gently. "Mother?" she shook harder, but her mother did not stir. "Mother?! Mother, please wake up..!" She started to cry. "Mommy..! Mommy!! Wake up!! Please, you can't leave me!! Mommy…!!" Tsumi lay over her mother's body and began to sob. "Don't leave me…!!"

After several hours of sobbing, Tsumi's tears finally dried up. She picked herself up and managed to carry her mother to where her father was buried. There, she lay the body in the ground. After she'd finished it began to rain, and flashes of lighting lit up the sky.

Just as the lightning struck the ground somewhere behind her, Tsumi's eyes opened wide, and her memories flooded back.

"Daddy…" she jumped up and began running down the path, but stopped. Sin didn't look back, but quietly murmured, "Thank you," before continuing down the path.

Okay, so you've gotten a taste of Sin's past, BUT, its not over just yet. The rest of Sin's life will be revealed in the next chapter of –dramatic music- the DEMON WITHIN!!!! Dun,dun,duuuunnnn…!!!! Yeah, I'm hyper.


	18. Sin's past continued

Moo. Tis all I have to say. Wait no its not, because I just watched episode 9 of Inuyasha the final act; BEST EPISODE I'VE EVER SEEN OF THE SHOW!! Got to meet (_**SPOILER) **_Sesshy's mommy, and he showed EMOTIONS!!!! He really does care! X'D but yeah, his mom's a bitch. Literally. And figuratively. But yeah, that altered this chapter a little bit. And extended the rest of my story by at least 3+ chapters ^_^ Well, lets get on with it!

Oh yeah, and I just realized Sin was supposed to get knocked off the cliff by Jaken. That was the original story line. Sorry about that! ^_^''' I like this way better though.

**Chapter 18—**

Flashback continued…

Sin walked along a small stream in the forest, the sounds of night echoing around her. She sniffed at the many scents that drifted along the air and the water, when something familiar caught her attention. She sniffed at the breeze a couple more times to make sure.

"Father…?" Running through the trees she followed the Great Dog Demon's scent into the forest. His scent got stronger the father up the mountain she went. Just as she was about to stumble through the bushes to where she thought he'd be, a small breeze brought another scent to her attention, a scent that made her stop dead in her tracks.

Another dog.

Female, to be exact.

And along with that came another scent, not as strong but defiantly there. That of a… baby?

Sin peeked through the bushes and looked out onto a small opening that led up to an old mansion. It looked as though it used to belong to some human lord, now inhabited by two, no three dog demons. Just then, she caught sight of her father standing on the porch.

"Daddy..!" she cried happily to herself. She was just about to run to him, when he turned and she saw a small white-haired baby in his arms. Then a woman walked up behind him. She pulled her fur-coat-thing, tighter around her body.

"This place is disgusting," she said. "The human stench permeates the entire building."

"But it will keep you two relatively safe," The Great Dog Demon said, kissing her cheek. She looked as if she was almost revolted by the exchange. "I'm going to put Sesshomaru to sleep," he said going inside with the restless baby.

Sin snuck through the bushes, keeping an eye on the woman who stood looking up at the stars. She made her way over to the side of the house, until she could no longer see the female dog demon. Sin waited a small amount of time before crawling from the bushes and making a break for the house. She looked behind her for a moment and when she looked forward again someone was standing there. She slid to a stop and fell backwards.

She looked up to see the female dog looking down at her with cold, golden eyes.

"And what do you think _you_ are doing, little girl?" The woman's silver hair glistened in the moon light, and the purple-blue crescent on her forehead stood out against her pale skin.

Sin glared daggers at the woman. "And what do you think _you_, old mutt, are doing with him?!"

"O-old mutt?" the woman sneered angrily. Then she had a look of realization. "You're _his_ child, aren't you..?"

"What's it to you? Are you going to turn into a doting step-mother now?"

She laughed. "Hardly..! My husband thinks you are dead, and it is going to stay that way."

"You…you bitch!!" Sin growled.

"Yes, yes I am."

"I…I'll kill you! You and that _thing_, you call a child!"

A small flash of anger sparkled in the demon's eyes. "I'm supposed to be a good mother. And good mothers kill anything that threatens their young." Her expression and voice stayed cool. She grabbed Sin's shirt and hauled her up to stare her in the eye. "Come back here ever again, and I will kill you." With that she threw Sin on the ground. "Leave!!"

Sin was actually fairly frightened. She knew she was no match for a full grown dog demon. Scrambling to her feet, she ran through the trees, tears streaming from her eyes.

She couldn't go back.

No. she _wouldn't_ go back.

Her father thought she was dead, and seemed to be happy with his baby and bitch-of-a-wife. She'd leave it that way.

It had been quite some time since that night, and Sin was now the physical age of about twenty-one. She'd been living by herself all this time. And in that time, she'd had to fend off all sorts of demons, and sometimes humans, increasing her unnatural strength even more.

Sin, having nothing to do, walked through the forest staring off into space. Her ears twitched when she heard something crashing through the bushes off to the side.

'_Must be a deer…'_ she thought. But… it sounded a bit different than a deer.

"Nayamasu, get your ass back here!!!" she heard a woman yell.

"Neve--?" the guy burst through the bushes off to Sin's right, and crashed into her, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

"Wh-what the hell!!" Sin punched the guy in the face, sending him flying into a tree.

"Nayamasu?" the girl came around from the corner, her black hair flowing around her shoulders. Her glossy eyes looked from the black-haired guy in a loincloth under the tree, to the silver-haired woman who'd punched him.

"Ow…" the man under the tree groaned as he got to his feet, still holding his now broken sake jug. "That hurt you little—!" The girl pushed him over.

"Sorry about him, he's just a little drunk. Are you alright?" she walked over and helped Sin off of the ground.

"I'm fine," she said dusting herself off. It takes a little more than that to hurt me."

Nayamasu got back to his feet and took a good look at the woman he'd run into. He looked her up and down, straightened up and made a bee-line for, her taking her hand.

"I love you." He said with a serious expression. Sin punched him again, sending him flying back into the tree.

"Again, sorry about that." The girl said. "I'm Mitsuki by the way."

"Sin."

Mitsuki noticed the small hour glass hanging from a chain around Sin's neck. "Where'd you get that?" she asked.

"Oh, this? My mother gave it to me right before she died."

"Come with us," Mitsuki said, grabbing Sin's hand.

"Wait, why? What's going on?" Sin asked confused.

"There's someone you need to meet. Nayamasu! Hurry up!" Mitsuki said.

He jumped up and ran to catch up with them. He put out his hand, and a swirling portal opened up before them. Without hesitation, Nayamasu and Mitsuki, dragging Sin along, stepped into the portal.

They stepped out into a large dark room. Sin's eyes adjusted quickly, and she saw a large muscular man, a woman with long black hair and a kind expression, a small, giddy child, and, sitting behind them, she could make out a cloaked figure on a large, throne-like chair.

Mitsuki bowed gracefully, as did Nayamasu. When did he put clothes on?

Sin stood behind them, a confused look on her face. What in the world was going on? This place felt so strange, but for the first time she felt like she… belonged. Like the people who now surrounded her, understood her more than any other human or demon could ever hope to.

"Master, we—," Mitsuki was cut off by a gasp from the cloaked figure as he stood.

"The missing piece…" the figure said in wonder.

All of a sudden the figure stood infront of her. The figure, standing slightly shorter than Sin, took the hour glass around her neck in his fingers; the skin of his fingers briefly touched the skin on her collar bone, and sent a strange shiver running through her body.

"It's you…" the young voice whispered.

Sin walked through a human village in a daze. The people did not run from her, but were careful not to stand to close.

Jikoku no Oni.

That's what she was. That's what those other demons in the dark room were. That's why she was so different from other demons. That's why hose pictures would flash in her mind. They were visions.

Suddenly, Sin was broken out of her thoughts just as he walked out of the village.

Some one was following her.

She showed no sign of noticing and made her way down the path. Stopping at the edge of a river, she knelt down and began skipping rocks. After a few thin ones, she picked up a large one and threw it into the bushes behind her. There was thump and a scream of pain and a man with long curly brownish-black hair fell onto the ground.

"Who the hell are you, and why are you following me?" she demanded.

He looked up at her and smiled awkwardly. "Uh, um… hi…"

_End flash back_

Sin smiled at the memory of he first time she met her husband. She missed him so much. He was perverted, goofy…perverted, but she loved him anyway. Shortly after that first encounter, he'd began to follow her endlessly, and eventually—after he'd come out of the bushes—she'd grown to love him. They'd had a baby, who'd burst into hundreds of demons. And turned into Naraku. But he'd left just before that had happened, and was trapped by a priestess.

Sin was alone. But not for much longer…

**End**

Okay, we're done with the flash backs! For now…. But, any connections yet? No? well, then… YOU WILL LATER!!!

Bye!

Oh, and—

_**REVIEW!!!!!**_


	19. Chapter 19

Well, hello there, ma peeps! It hasn't been quite as long this time, but that's because I'm in a writing mood! And thanks to all of my fans who've stuck with me through hall of my crappy-ness! **Oh by the way I probably wont be updating this story very soon, well, I mean not as often as usual (though that's not much). I need to wait and watch the Final Act before I can decide on the ending for this story. Yes we ARE that close to the end.**

**Chapter 19-**

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha sat glaring at each other over the fire pit. Rin and Shippo were playing with the crayons Kagome had brought over from the other side. Miroku, Sango and Kagome looked nervously at each other. The air was heavy and the mood of the room was very awkward.

Finally Inuyasha growled, stood up and walked angrily from the small hut, Kagome quickly following after him.

"W-well, we better go make sure that they're not in any trouble, right Sango?" Miroku said standing up.

"R-right!"

And they both quickly left the room.

"How long does it take to find an extra pair of clothes?" Jaken screamed angrily, stomping his little three-toed foot.

A sharp look from Sesshomaru quickly silenced him. Rin and Shippo paid them no attention.

Kaede was helping San find some new clothes, sicne she didn't what to stay in Sesshomaru's shirt. It was just to awkward. They'd already given her the medicine for the miasthma, now her clothes were the only problem.

"Here's one that should fit," the old woman said, holding up a red and white priestess kimono. "I'll leave you here to change," she said walking out of the small shrine where Kikyo's grave was.

"Thank you!" San quickly said. She set the outfit down and shed Sesshomaru's kimono, setting it next to her new clothes. After she was dressed she exited the small shack and made her way back to Kaede's house where she'd left Sesshomaru, Rin and the green toad known as Jaken. When she got there she could hear Rin talking.

"So this is where Lady San used to live? It's nice that she gets to visit home. I wonder if any of her family lives here," Rin said excitedly. San could just tell she was jumping up and down with joy. It made her smile, and yet made her sad, since she _didn't_ have any family left. They'd all died years ago…

"Even if she doesn't, she has us!"

"What do you mean?" Jaken said irritably.

"What do you mean, what do I mean?" Rin said stubbornly. "We're a family!"

Just the sound of her words made San's heart swell with joy.

"_Don't get too excited. Remember the…" _the voice said, trailing off.

Her mood dropped instantly, and tears came to her eyes. _'I know!' _she snapped at him in her mind. He said nothing in reply. Through their odd bond, he could tell how she felt, even if she didn't show it to the people around her.

San didn't feel like facing happy little Rin at the moment, so she made her way to the village to wander about the familiar places. People still wandered about, even though it was beginning to get dark. It had been so long since she'd been home. It felt nice…and lonely.

She glanced into one of the houses to see a sick old man laying on the floor. He seemed to be close to death. But life seemed to return to his eyes when he also caught a glimpse of San. He struggled to his wobbly legs, and looked at the door.

"S-San..!" he yelled in a feeble voice, "San, is that you..?"

She stopped and looked at the old man. "You know me?"

The old man fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "You haven't changed a bit… I thought you were dead…!"

San ran over and knelt down the old man. "How do you know me?"

He looked up at her, his eyes lit with happiness for the first time in a long time.

"It's me, my dear sister..! Me, Koji!"

Her eyes went wide, and she too began to cry. "Brother, your so old, I dint recognize you..!"

He laughed, and even though it was old and cracked, it was still warm and familiar to her ears. San hadn't seen her brother for many, many years. He had left when she was still little (well, physically) and she hadn't seen him since then.

"Yes, yes I am old. The years have not been kind to me, unlike you. Fifty years, and you don't look a day over twenty, maybe less!" Koji said, laughing again. But then his laugh turned into a cough, and he slumped over onto his younger sister's shoulder.

"Koji..!" she said worriedly. A few people on the streets stopped and looked. "Here, lets get you inside…" San said, just as the rain started to fall. (Way to add to the moment huh?)

Helping her ancient brother inside, she gently laid him back on his bed. "There, that's better…"

"Thank you, Sister, but…I don't think that will help me…not now…"

"What are you talking about?" she asked, her face wrinkled with concern.

"I am at the end of my life."

"What..?" Her tears turned from happy to sad.

The old man let out a deep, pained sigh. "I'm well into my eighties, San. My body is failing me. You seem to have found me while I'm on my death bed," he said smiling feebly at her.

"No, you can't go yet..!" she pleaded.

"I don't think I have a choice… but I'm just glad I got to see you," he said reaching a shaking hand up to stroke her chin. "You really haven't changed… though I'm not surprised."

"You're not?" she said confused.

"You don't know? Well, I suppose mother died before she could tell you…"

Her confusion grew. "Tell me what..?"

"Haven't you felt another presence with you before?" he asked.

"Well…" she thought of the voice in her head that often made perverted remarks. "Yeah…"

"San… there's a demon sealed within you. That's why you're so different from everyone. That's why they kicked you out of the village so long ago. They were afraid." He said, squeezing her hand.

"W…what?" she said in disbelief.

"That doesn't change anything, you know that right? You're still my little, obnoxious sister," he said smiling. "And I love you just the same."

She attempted to smile, but the shock was getting to her.

"I'm glad…" he wheezed. "That I got to see you…before I died," Koji said, closing his eyes.

San snapped out of her slight daze. "Wait, Brother, you cant go yet…!" she panicked.

His breathing got slower. "It…is time, San…"

"No, Brother, please! You cant leave me here…! You're the only family I have now..!"

His smile was very kind, and peaceful as it crept onto his lips.

"Brother!"

And then, his chest stopped moving.

San's eyes overflowed, the tears never really seeming to have an end. She shot to her feet and ran out the door, only to run into someone. She looked up into Sesshomaru's golden eyes. They were as cold as usual, but deep, deep beneath the cold there was a touch of sympathy. But San couldn't see that sympathy through her clouded vision, and she got angry with him, and shoved him out of her way and ran through the village. He just watched her go, the rain soaking him to the bone.

San ran all the way to the out lying forests, the cold rain biting at her skin through wet clothes. She tripped and fell into a tree, which she held onto as if her life depended on it. The cold rain running down her face hid the tears.

All of it was just too much for her to take in, her brothers death and the news of a demon trapped within her. A demon, the very thing she despised with all of her being, for killing her father, and placing a terrible curse upon her. The only exception was Sesshomaru.

Her sobbing stopped abruptly for a moment.

Was he an exception? Why was this demon any different from any of the other ones? Including the one inside her.

'_Because you have feelings for him,' _the voice spoke.

_Shut up..! _she yelled inside of her head.

The voice sighed. _'Was it really that much of a surprise? That I'm a demon? What, did you just think that I was some random voice who popped up randomly? You already knew,' _his voice was dark.

San leaned up against the tree and slid down to sit on the soggy ground. "I… I just don't know any more…" she said to herself.

"Well, well. One of Sesshomaru's little human pets get lost in the rain?"

San quickly stood, and stared at the female demon standing in front of her. She went to reach for her arrows, but they weren't there. Since she's begun traveling with Sesshomaru, there really hadn't been a need for them.

"Who are you?" she asked wearily.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" the woman said, her red eyes standing out from her pale face in the rain. "But if you have to ask, my name is Kagura."

San eyed her suspiciously. "What do you want?"

"Nothing. Just checking in on things," she said, pulling a feather from her hair and turning away. There was a gust of wind, and the woman was flying off.

"Lady San..!" little Rin's voice made San look down the path, where the little girl came running up, wearing a rain hat. "Why are you out here in the rain? We've been worried!"

"Ha! Only you were worried," Jaken muttered.

"Oh, I'm sorry Rin," San said. She looked back to the path to see Sesshomaru walking up to them.

"San..? why are you're eyes all red…?" Rin wondered.

"Oh, n-no reason," she said whipping at her eyes. "Why don't we get you out of the rain?"

"Alright, but its more like we need to get you out of the rain!" Rin said, taking San's hand and beginning down the path.

San smiled. She glanced up at Sesshomaru as he joined into step a little behind them. He seemed more solemn than usual.

"Come on! Lets go! Lady Kaede said she'd make us a nice hot meal!" Rin said excitedly. The little girl's happiness made San smile even more.

'_This is nice, huh?' _the voice said to her.

_Yeah…to bad it won't last much longer…_


	20. It's called jealousy, sweetheart

Yeah, said it would be a while, not that it hasn't, but I was watching Inuyasha and was inspired for a new chapter!… wholly crap, is it really chapter 20 already? Jeebus! But yes, after this chapter I need to finish watching the Final Act. I was hoping it would be on tv by now, but nooo, so I watched two eps online, even though that's harder for me to get what just happened in the episodes but its better than nothing. Anyway, on with the chapter! Oh, and if you haven't watched up to episode 2 of the Final Act, then this chapter has _**spoilers.!**_

Disclaimer; I do not own the Inuyasha series. If I did, well… it probably wouldn't have been as awesome.

**Chapter 20—**

"Wow, it's a good thing we found this place!" Rin said as she looked at the abandoned mountain-shack they'd just found. "Or else we'd have to stay out in the rain," she said, closing the shutter on the small window. It was still raining; hard. Every once in a while thunder would boom from somewhere further up the mountain.

San rung the sleeves of her kimono out. "Rin, would you grab some of the wood in the corner for me, so we can make a fire?" she asked.

"Sure!"

After she'd gotten a good fire going, San leaned back up against the wall, accidentally dumping her bag over.

"Oops…" she muttered.

Rin noticed something silver poking out of a case that had fallen from San's bag. Out of curiosity, she crawled over and grabbed it.

"What's this?" she asked, holding the long silver object.

"Hmm, oh that, it's a flute that my mother gave me," she said. "I haven't played it for a while now…"

Rin's eyes lit up. "Would you play a song for me?"

San looked a bit taken back. "W-well I guess, I cou—"

"Yay!" Rin shuffled over on her knees to sit beside San, handing her the flute.

Sesshomaru looked on quietly from the opposite corner of the room, his arm crossed over his stomach, resting on his belt as he stood.

San licked her lips a bit nervously as she adjusted the flute to the right position below her lip, trying to get her fingers in the right spots, closing her eyes in concentration. Rin stared at her expectantly. Jaken just huffed in the corner, muttering about how this was stupid.

When she began to play, she filled the small hut with a soft, yet pronounced tune (think of something similar to Josh Groban's 'You Raise Me Up'). The music flowed peacefully through the room. Sesshomaru thought of the first time he'd heard her play. It seemed so long ago…

When the song was finished, San glanced down to see Rin asleep on her lap. She smiled kindly at the small girl, stroking her head before putting the instrument away. Trying not to wake Rin, she reached over to grab one of the old dusty pillows from the corner, patting some of the dust off be fore setting it on the floor and adjusting her self so she lay on it, Rin still cuddled up to her.

San glanced up at Sesshomaru, who was now staring out the window at the stormy night.

"Umm… g-good night…Sesshomaru…" she said quietly. He looked over at her, and she could have sworn for a moment there, his expression was almost surprised, but it went back to his bored look so fast she figured she'd imagined it.

He grunted in response, then returned his focus to the window.

San gazed at him for a moment longer, her cheeks getting slightly warm as she admired the way his silver hair reflected the gold light from the fire.

'_Stalker…' _the voice in her head spoke.

"_Am not..!" _she barked back at him, pinching her forehead. He screamed with pain.

'_OW! Don't _do_ that!' _She smirked.

The girl glanced at the silver-haired demon once more, before her eyes closed and she fell asleep.

Sesshomaru sat in the silence, listening to the steady breathing of the sleeping people in the room around him. After a while, the fire burned down, so that only the smoldering embers lit the room with a dark yellow-orange glow. Sesshomaru stared a the fire pit, as the burnt ashes tried to re-light themselves with every small breeze that gave them power to burn a little brighter, and then die again when the breeze was gone.

San and Rin's shivering made him look over.

Both girls where shaking. He hadn't really even noticed that when the fire went out the hut had become far to cold for a human. He ignored Jaken who was also shivering.

Standing up from his little corner, Sesshomaru grabbed a blanket from the corner, shook out some of the dust, and gently laid it over the two girls, who immediately stopped shaking. He stared at them for a long moment.

Rin was gripping San's kimono top, and she in turn had her arm laid gently over Rin, in a protective way.

San took in a long breath and her eyes fluttered open. She slowly looked up at Sesshomaru who still hovered over them. Her face turned red. San reached over and grabbed another pillow and threw it at him. He easily caught it.

"Why the hell are you watching us sleep you pervert!" San whisper/yelled.

Sesshomaru thought for a second. He didn't _know_ why he was watching them sleep. Throwing the pillow back to its dusty corner, he jumped over the fire pit and sat back in his corner, faced slightly away from them, fighting the heat that threatened to come up to his cheeks.

San laid her head back on the pillow, angrily, cuddling up to the blanket.

Wait… blanket? That hadn't been there when she'd fallen asleep.

She glanced back up at Sesshomaru, then at the blanket again.

''_Oh… I guess he… was just putting the blanket over us...'' _she thought.

'_No, he was watching you sleep too,' _the voice said frankly.

She pinched her forehead before falling asleep again.

The next morning, San walked out into the fresh air, stretching and taking a long breath of rain-smelling air.

"Storm cleared up nicely," she said to her self, as she walked down to the small creek near the shack to wash her face.

As she splashed the cool water on her face she heard something in the bushes in front of her. She tensed, ready to jump or fight, when two small children came running through the bushes, laughing. They both slid to a stop when the saw her.

San smiled at them. "Hello, I didn't know there were others this far up the mountain."

The younger looking of the two—a small girl with dirty blond hair—quickly ran and hid behind the young boy, who had black wavy hair; he stuck his arm out protectively.

San noticed the purple stripes under the boy's misty blue eyes.

"A-are you two…?" Just then she heard someone else coming through the bushes.

"Kenkotsu? Where did you two go?" a familiar woman with black hair stumbled out of the bushes. "Oh, there you are!"

The children ran and hid behind the woman.

"What's wrong?" she said looking at them. The boy pointed at San. The woman looked over at the girl with a surprised look on her face. "Hey, aren't you…San, wasn't it?"

San stood up. "Uh, yeah, and you're Mitsuki, right?"

"Yep," the woman said smiling warmly.

The small boy looked up. "Mama, you know this strange lady?"

"Ah, yes, I met her—"

Two more women stumbled out of the brush, one with long black hair that flowed elegantly past her waist, and the other with even longer silver hair that was back in a braid.

"Sin?"

"San?"

The children giggled.

Sin turned to shake a finger at them. "Hey, don't laugh at how similar our names are."

"So this is the famous 'San'?" the woman with long black hair said, crossing her arms. The small girl ran and latched onto the woman's leg through her elegant kimono. She smiled down at her. "I'm sorry, she's just a bit shy."

"You've heard of me?" San said surprised.

"Yes, Sin has told us much about you." That's when San noticed the small hourglass that hung on a chain from the woman's obi (big boelt/bow thing on a woman's kimono). Then she noticed that Sin had the same one around her neck, and Mitsuki had one hanging from her belt. "I'm Karada by the way."

"N-nice to meet you," San said.

Sin knelt down to the small girl. "Ozume, its alright, San is nice. She won't hurt you," she said soothingly. The small girl tugged at one of the braids that hung in front of her ears, in a nervous fashion. She looked up at the stranger.

San smiled kindly. "Hello there."

Ozume yelped, and hid her face in her mother's kimono. The small boy, Kenkotsu, ran over and stood in front of the small girl, a stern look on his face.

Sin sighed. "Don't you think you're a bit over protective of Ozume, eh, Kenkotsu?"

"I wont let anything hurt her," he said stubbornly.

"That doesn't really answer my question…" Sin stood up and looked behind San. "Aren't you going to say 'hi', Mr. Puppy-Pants?" she asked.

Every one looked to see Sesshomaru sitting on a tree branch behind San. His fluff dangled from the other side of the tree, swaying in the breeze. Ozume zeroed in on said fluff.

"Oh, so this is one of your baby-brothers!" Karada said, putting her hands together.

Sesshomaru shot her a death-glare.

"Oh, he is a bit cranky, isn't he?" Mitsuki said. The three demon-women giggled.

Karada looked down at her leg. "Where'd Ozume go?"

Everyone looked around, trying to find the small girl. They heard a giggle, and everyone looked to Sesshomaru's shoulder, where the child was latched onto his fluff.

Sesshy was caught so off guard that if he spoke much, he probably would have said something along the lines of; "WHAT THE F—?"

But no, Sesshomaru is too cool for that. So he just went wide-eyed and fell out of the tree. But don't worry; he's _much_ to cool to fall on his face. So he landed on his ass.

But he moved so fast to his feet that no one really noticed.

He stared at the small creature that now sat on his shoulder. She looked at him and giggled.

"Fluffy!"

Everyone laughed, except Sesshomaru and little Kenkotsu. Sesshomaru carefully reached up and grabbed the girl by the collar of her shirt then set her on the ground. When she turned to try and attack his fluff again he held out his foot, keeping her away as her forehead ran right into his shoe. She reached out and still tried to run against his foot. She stopped and fell on the ground, looking up at Sesshomaru with a pleading look.

"…No…" he said coldly.

Ozume started to cry. Kenkotsu quickly ran over to her side.

"Jerk!" he yelled at Sesshomaru.

"Aw, Fluffy-kins, you made her cry!" San said, putting her hands on her hips.

"…What did you just—,"

"Well, its time we left. Nice seeing you again," Mitsuki said, picking up both children.

"Oh, bye," San said. After they were gone she stared at the same spot for a moment. "Well that was… random…"

Sesshomaru turned and started walking down the mountain.

"Oh, I'll be there after I've gotten my stuff," San said.

"We won't wait," he said.

"Pft, thanks," she said sarcastically. She watched him leave, and a smile crept its way onto her face as she bit her lower lip.

'_So, when ya gonna tell him?' _the voice asked.

''_Tell him what?''_

'_Fine, act stupid.' _

San just shook her head as she went to the shack to gather her things. It took her longer than she thought, seeing as some one –cough-Jaken-cough- had knocked over her back and scattered its contents across the floor. Once she was finished she rushed down the mountain path to catch up with Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un.

She found them sitting along the river bank along with someone else.

"Sesshomaru, why is there a half-naked woman sitting over there?" she asked pointing at the woman who's top half of her kimono wasn't on. The woman turned to reveal her red eyes. "You…were outside the village last night…"

Kagura smirked, then pulled out the feather from her hair and flew off with a large gust of wind.

San heard Rin say something about Kagura being secretly in love with Sesshomaru. She suddenly became very angry, but didn't really know why.

'_It's called jealousy, sweetheart,' _her demon-voice said.

She pinched her forehead to shut him up.

That night San tossed and turned in her sleep. Voices, not like the usual one, echoed in her head;

'…_Those you love…'_

'_I c-curse you wretched humans…'_

'_..Forced to live alone…'_

'…_all of them…will die!'_

'_You're running out of time…'_

She woke up with a start, breathing heavily, breaking into a cold sweat.

The small group walked down the path. Sesshomaru stopped in front of a cave. He was soon engaged in battle with the demon Moryomaru.

San watched along side Rin and Jaken, never taking her eyes off of Sesshomaru. The voices from her dreams kept echoing in her head.

''_Please…not yet…'' _she thought.

Sesshomaru defeated Moryomaru, breaking his sword. Instead of going back to Rin, San and Jaken, he flew off.

Without really thinking, worry clouding her mind, San ran after him.

''_Please let him be alright..!'' _she repeated in her head, over and over again.

It took her several minutes to catch up with him, but when she did, she found him standing in the middle of a field of flowers, in front of him was the woman Kagura. She was fading away with the wind. San walked up behind him, and reached him just as the woman completely dissolved away. Inuyasha and his friends came up behind them.

San didn't really hear what they said, she just stared at Sesshomaru, searching for any sign of a fatal injury. She found none, but still wasn't convinced. She followed Sesshomaru to the other side of the field, Inuyasha and friends already having left.

San stopped, and clenched her fists. Then she ran up and hugged Sesshomaru from behind. He half stumbled as the girl's arms wrapped around his armor-clad waist.

"Are you okay…?" she asked, her voice cracking a bit. "Just… just tell me you aren't hurt…" she said, digging her face into his silver hair.

Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder at the girl, a surprised look on his face. He looked at her hands which were balled up into trembling fists. He gently laid a hand on hers.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure…?" she whispered.

"No pitiful demon incarnation of Naraku's could injure me," he said.

San sighed with relief. Then she realized what she was doing. She quickly let go of Sesshomaru and took several steps back.

"Well, uh, should we go meet up with Rin and Jaken?" she said nervously, walking ahead of him.

Sesshomaru smirked. "Very well."

* * *

**End of random chapter!**

Well, that turned out a lot longer than I thought. Hopefully I can figure out what to do for the next chapters. I kinda have to rethink this next part, since the show ruined one of my ideas… -_-'' but I'll try and update as quickly as possible. This week is my last week of freedom before school starts, so…yeah. _**REVIEW!**_


	21. Chapter 21

Hey everyone! Wow, its been three years since this story was posted… wow… I don't update a whole lot, do I? Yeah, sorry about that. Anyways, school is boring. Just had my birthday, and I got this EPIC art studio for my computer, and I'm still tryin ta figure it out, but I'm hoping it'll work. Anyways, on with the story! SPOILERS TOO, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ, AND OR WATCHED Inuyasha THE FINAL ACT! Well, the manga's all one thing, but you get the idea.

**Chapter 21-**

San walked out of the trees, to find that part of the forest was missing.

"Sesshomaru, have you been practicing your Meido again?" she asked him. They'd recently gone to Totosai, and old friend of Sesshy's father, and Sesshy had learned a new power.

He made no response, and slid his sword back into its sheath.

'_He's not satisfied with his progress,' _the demon within her said, as he examined Sesshomaru through her eyes.

''_You can tell?" _she thought back.

'_Yeah. I used to be like that once; always wanting to be better, to make myself as powerful as I could, and then some...'_

San didn't respond as she looked at Sesshomaru. She often found that she forgot that he was a demon, or rather, that she didn't really mind anymore. Demons had killed her father, and she'd always hated them since. But now…

"Let's go," Sesshomaru said, turning to leave.

Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un quickly followed. San ran to catch up after grabbing her bag and tripped, grabbing onto Sesshomaru's left sleeve for balance. He looked down at her, his eyes a bit wide, with either surprise or anger, she couldn't tell. San quickly let go.

"Sorry..!"

He said nothing and just kept walking.

That was another thing that she often forgot; he only had one arm.

They walked in silence for quite a while, when something white floating through the forest caught San's eye.

'_It must be that priestess, Kikyo,' _the voice said to her. _'She had Soul Collectors.'_

San started walking after them.

"Where are you going?" Rin asked.

"Oh, I just wanted to see something. I'll catch up with you," she said, smiling and waving as she disappeared into the forest after the Soul Collectors.

'_Why are we following them?' _her voice asked.

''_Because I want to ask Kikyo something."_

'_What…oh! You know you can ask me about that. I _was _there.'_

''_I'd rather ask Kikyo, thank you,' _she said to him.

'_Duck,' _he said.

"_What—?" _She'd barely had a chance to reply as a scythe-chain flew right past her head as she managed to dodge it.

San looked up to see a young boy who appeared to be a demon-slayer, standing next to the priestess.

"No, Kohaku," Kikyo said. "This girl is no threat."

The boy dropped his defensive stance. "Oh, sorry," he apologized. He'd sensed her strange presence and thought she was a demon running through the woods after them.

"Lady Kikyo, I wanted to ask you something," San said.

"And that would be..?"

"Were you the one who sealed this demon within me?" she asked.

'_That explains her strange presence_,' Kohaku thought.

Kikyo's sad eyes showed pity. "Yes, and I am sorry for that. There was no other choice."

San shook her head. "I don't hold any sort of grudge against you. I just wanted to know… how it happened—_why_ it happened."

"When you were born, just over fifty years ago, a demon threatened to destroy our village. A wolf demon."

'_Pft, _the _wolf demon,' _he said.

"Even with Inuyasha's help, I couldn't destroy him, so I sealed him inside of you, just moments after you were born. The only choice I had. And for that I am sorry," Kikyo said.

"Do…do you know how to get it out?" San asked hopefully.

'"_It?' I've never been so insulted!' _he said, overly dramatic.

"_Shhh..!" _San hissed back at him.

Kikyo shook her head sadly. "The only way…is if your heart were to be pierced. In other words... You would have to die."

San's heart stopped, and all of her hopes to be freed were crushed.

"Again, I apologize. Now, we must be going," Kikyo said, walking down the path, leaning heavily upon her bow. Kohaku glanced back at San, before following the priestess.

After a long moment of silence, the demon spoke.

'_Aw, you don't like me?' _he said, trying to lighten the mood.

''_You don't want to be released from me? I'd think you'd want to be free," _she thought to him.

'_Eh, if the only way for me to be released is for you to die, I wont force it. I've kinda grown attached to ya.' _If he'd had a physical body, he would have given her a noogie.

San started walking back, then stopped. _"I just realized something."_

'_What?'_

"_You've never told me your name."_

She could just feel the malevolent smile that creeped onto his expression.

'_That, my dear girl, is a secret.'_

San didn't push the subject any further, and headed back to Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un.

The next day, San had taken a nap and woken to find that Sesshomaru had taken everyone else and left her.

"Sesshomaru you ass!" she yelled. She looked down to see the pattern of Ah-Un scraping his tail on the ground. She sighed, and began to follow it.

They weren't that far ahead when she found them.

"Sesshy you are such a jerk!" she yelled at him. she looked down to see Kohaku laying on the ground, being bitten by several snakes. Sesshomaru stopped her from reaching out to help him. He killed the snakes with his poison claws, and they took him to a nearby meadow.

Kohaku eventually woke up, but was still woozy from the poison. He tried to go back to Kikyo, but Sesshomaru said she was already gone.

San stared at the blood red sunset. "Kikyo…is dead?" Even though she hadn't known the priestess very well, she still felt a great loss. She wiped away the tears that had escaped from her eyes.

'_It's almost time, isn't it?' _he asked her.

San didn't respond to the demon, and her eyes found their way to Sesshomaru, and her tears doubled.

* * *

"Sesshomaru, where are we going?" San complained. They'd been walking forever, and Sesshy-kins seemed to be looking for something.

As usual, he didn't reply.

Something howled from up above them. San looked up to see a giant dog flying through the sky. She looked over at Sesshomaru, his eyes blood red, as he began to change. Soon he was also a giant dog, and joined the other K9 who was flying in the sky.

Jaken, Kohaku, and Rin flew off on Ah-Un to go after Sesshomaru, San was still in shock from seeing him transform, which had really hit home how in-human he actually was.

'_If you don't snap to, you're going to loose 'em.'_

"Oh, right…!" San began to run after them.

She came up to the base of a huge-ass set of stairs, and saw Sesshomaru land at the top.

"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me…" she said exasperated. "Right about now I really wish I could fly!" taking a deep breath, she began to climb the mass amount of steps.

She finally made it to the top, in less time than she'd thought, but her breath still escaped her, as she fell on the top step and just laid there.

"I…hate….stairs…"

She pulled herself up, and saw Jaken, but no sign of Sesshomaru, Rin, or Kohaku.

"What's this? Another human pet of my son's? Tell me girl, is Sesshomaru at least going to eat you?" a female voice said.

San looked up to see a beautiful demon woman, with long silver hair and a crescent moon on her forehead that matched Sesshomaru's. The demon inside of her growled in response to the woman's presence.

"Who…?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders to adjust her fluff. "You don't see the resemblance? I'm Sesshomaru's mother."

"…"

Now that she mentioned it, it was incredibly obvious; the same silver hair, the same markings…the same smart-ass attitude they seemed to share. Sesshomaru's was just less verbal.

The woman glanced down at the necklace she held in her hand. "Oh, looks like my precious boy is running into trouble!" she said, overly dramatic, throwing her hand over her forehead, as if about to faint.

"You're the one who sent him there…" Jaken muttered.

"Jaken," San said, "Where are Sesshomaru and the kids?"

"A demon came and took Rin and the boy into the underworld, and Lord Sesshomaru went after them," the toad said.

A pang of fear ran through San's body. "What?"

Sesshomaru's mother looked into her necklace gain. "Oh, looks like the girl is dead."

San completely froze. "No…" _"She can't be dead, not yet! I thought I still had time..!"_

"Well," she looked up at San with an evil look. "I can't have my precious son walking around with an incomplete set. So I'll just have to rid him of the extra." She stood up and began walking towards San, her eyes full of blood-lust.

Jaken jumped in front of San, who'd fallen to her knees in shock. "I-I wont let you..!" The demon simply pushed him out of the way. San made no attempt to move, her mind still panicked.

'_Oh for the love of god…'_

Just as Sesshomaru's mother went to kill the girl, San's hand shot up and grabbed the demon's hand, with lightning fast speed.

"_Lets have none of that,"_ the voice that came from the girl's body did not match. When she looked up, on of her eyes was wide, and had turned from its normal grayish color, to deep crimson.

The woman gasped and pulled her hand away. "You…"

"_Oh so you do remember me!" _

"How could one forget a pervert such as you? Especially with that repugnant eye of yours." she said, putting her sleeve over her nose as if she had smelled something foul.

"_This," _the girl pointed to her red left eye, _"is a blessing. And why would you call me a pervert, hmm?"_

The white haired demon laughed. "You've always been a pervert. So infatuated with me that you would attempt to spy on me at any moment you could."

"_True, but now you are old; time has not been kind to you. Look at those wrinkles!"_

Her eyebrow twitched with irritation. "How dare you!" she raised her hand again, her finger-tips glowing.

The demon who now controlled San, raised a finger. _"Now, now, no need to get angry. Plus, I cant very well have you damaging this body here," _he gestured t to the girls torso. _"She is, in fact, my temporary home."_

"Oh, yes that's right..!" she said in amusement. "You were sealed away. That also explains your appearance. HA! Serves you right." She went and sat back down. "Very well, instead of relieving you of your prison, I shall let you suffer." She went back to observing her necklace.

Jaken stared at the two, in complete shock. _"What in the world is going on? Is the girl possessed?"_

Just then a path to the underworld opened up, and Sesshomaru stepped through holding Rin, and followed by Kohaku.

Suddenly San's eye faded back to its normal color, and she ran to Rin's side as Sesshomaru put her down.

"_The girl must have over powered him…" _Sesshomaru's mother thought.

"Rin! Rin, please wake up!" She pleaded, as tears began to flow down her cheeks. She jumped up and clutched the sides of her head. "No, no! I thought I had more time!" she cried.

Sesshomaru stared stony faced at her. She hadn't gotten this hysterical when her brother died…

San was so wrought with terror and sadness she was completely oblivious to what Sesshomaru's mother was saying or doing. Until she heard Rin's voice.

"Lord Sesshomaru…?"

San spun around to see Rin's eyes opened sleepily, and Sesshomaru touching the side of her face gingerly.

Her knees gave out with the relief. "Thank god…"

Rin looked over at her. "Lady San why are you crying?" The small girl stood up shakily, and hobbled over to San, and was surprised when she wrapped her arms around her.

"Rin, I'm so glad you're safe…" she said. Rin smiled and returned the embrace.


	22. I love you

I'm so tired right now it isn't even funny, and I only lost an hour of sleep! Oh well, if the story kinda sucks at first its because I'm tired. Oh and soon I will be re-writing the first few chapters or so. Not much will be different in the way of events, but it'll hopefully be much more well written and easier to read. That way it'll be less confusing. Some minor details that aren't mentioned in later chapters will be changed…since I started this story when I was like 11 or 12. Once you turn 16 (ugh, already?) some old story plots are kinda stupid... yeah, I'll change those. Anyway, on with the chapter that's probably gonna be fairly long, well longer than usual.

**Chapter 22-**

Sin shot up from her sleep, her skin covered in a cold sweat. She put a shaky hand to her forehead, swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Well that's not good…" she muttered. The feeling of another presence made her look up at the doorway, where Nayamasu stood, arms crossed, leaning on the wall. His dark hair had grown, and hung down past his shoulders. And unlike his usual, happy demeanor, he was completely serious, with no sign of liquor anywhere.

"What is it?" Sin asked.

"Master wishes to speak with you. About the vision you had."

Sin smirked without humor. "I hate it that he knows when I have a vision."

"Trust me; I don't think he really appreciates feeling the same things that you do. Just be glad he can't actually tell what the visions are. Come on, we don't want to keep him waiting." Nayamasu turned and began walking back down the hallway. Sin pulled herself out of bed and followed.

* * *

"Why does he always have to leave me behind?" San wondered angrily out loud, as she ran down the path to catch up with Sesshomaru and the children. She heard the sounds of battle and swore under her breath. "I can't leave him alone for five minutes!" The open canyon where she could hear the battle raging came into view through the trees, and she could see large sections of rock missing. "Damnit..!" She was suddenly stopped when someone grabbed her arm and jerked her to a stop. Turning around she looked into Sin's searing golden gaze.

"No," she said simply, but sternly.

"But I need to—,"

"'But you need to' what? What can you do in a battle between two powerful demons? Especially when they're using Meido without regard as to who's around them?" Sin said.

San stopped her slight struggles and stared at the ground. She clenched her fists, and returned her gaze to Sin's face.

"I can at least get Rin and Kohaku out of the way!" She attempted to pull away again, but Sin pulled her back, with enough force to throw her off balance. Her grip tightened around the girls arm, making her squint in pain.

"Don't throw your life away so recklessly!" Sin barked ((no pun intended)).

"I don't care if I die! As long as I can…" her sentence faded.

"As long as they don't die? Well guess what; if you die, you take everyone you care about with you!" Sin yelled, her anger on the verge of exploding. San's head snapped back up. Sin let her face soften, but her gaze was still intense. "I know you want to protect them, but letting yourself get killed like that will only cause them pain too. It will cause pain to others too…" Sin seemed as if she wasn't looking at San, but at someone else. "You think you can spare them by leaving, or dying… like you keep thinking you should have done for him."

San's eyes went wide.

Sin's smile was kind. "I know more than you think I do." She heard a faint scream from the battle, making her look up. Slowly, she let go of San's arm. "You cannot die," she said firmly, before disappearing.

San stood there for a while, finding that most of her strength had left her.

A few moments later Sesshomaru, Rin, Kohaku and Jaken came up the path, along with Ah-Uh.

Sesshomaru sniffed at the air. There was that strange presence again… some sort of demonic aura. He looked at San, who made a feeble smile as Rin ran up to her and explained how great Sesshomaru had been in the battle. This demonic aura was different than the one that was normally mixed with her scent. It was… bitter… like Naraku's.

But where was it coming from…?

* * *

Sin walked up the mountain path that was oh so familiar to her. She took in the smells on the wind that she loved so much…that also held bad memories.

Stepping through the trees, past a cave, and out into a clearing, Sin walked to the edge of the shear cliff that meant a long fall and certain death if you looked out too far.

"Hello, Naraku," she said without even turning around to look at him.

"Hello, _Mother_," he said, the word 'mother' coming out bitterly. He still wasn't used to this human-like relationship he shared with this woman. He even had memories; of looking up at her through tiny eyes…

"Do you remember this place?" she asked him.

He looked around. "Should I?"

Sin raised her face so that it had full contact with the light wind that ruffled her hair and clothes.

"This is where you were born, fifty years ago. You were so small… I loved holding you in my arms…"

Naraku raised an eyebrow.

"But then—I'm not sure how—you burst into a hundred demons… it was just after your father had left o go hunting…" she turned to look at him. "I lost you both that day."

Naraku scoffed. "And now I'm on the verge of becoming the most powerful demon of them all. With the help of Father the process will be sped up," he said grinning evily.

Sin's eyes instantly narrowed. "What?" he snapped.

Naraku's grin grew even more sinister. "She's going to help me with it too. Using the seed that has been planted in her, I will slowly draw out Father's power from his sealing place and then absorb his infant body into my own…"

Sin clenched her fists so hard her hands bled, but her face turned passive. "And do you plan to absorb me as well?"

Naraku's smile turned thoughtful. "Maybe. If Father's powers make me strong enough, then I might just swallow you and the rest of your Jikoku no Oni. One at a time."

All of a sudden Sin was standing right next to Naraku. "Be careful what you say, son," she whispered gently next to his ear. "You may have once been my son, but those ties of blood are almost completely gone. My master will not hesitate to kill you."

Her words sent a shiver up Naraku's spine, a feeling he was not accustomed to.

She pulled away so that she could look at his face. Her expression turned kind and gentle as she stroked the side of his face.

"Even if those ties of blood completely disappear… I'll always think of you as my baby boy…"

"Tch..!" Naraku attempted to strike at her, but she disappeared. He flew off, trying to shake the strange feeling of warmth and comfort that her touch had brought him.

Sin watched him fly away from the safety of the cave that was just inside of the tree line. She sighed heavily, then turned to look into the darkness of the small cave she once resided in. Walking to the back corner, she knelt down and lifted up a rock, setting it off to the side. Underneath was a small piece of cloth, with she picked up and began to unwrap. Inside was a silver wolf, curving into a circle to catch its tail, connected to a long string, so that it could be worn around the neck. The wolf's ruby eye sparkled, even in the dark of the cave.

"This should help… even if just a little…"

* * *

"Ugh! Why does Sesshomaru always leave us behind!" San said in frustration.

Jaken scoffed. "He probably doesn't want any nuisances like you getting in his way!"

"You realize he left you here too."

"…yes..." Jaken said, tears streaming down his eyes.

San put the water bottle to her lips to take a drink, but found it empty.

"I'll go find some more water," she said standing up.

Kohaku stood up too. "I'll go get it."

"No, it's okay, you stay here with Rin," she said. "I won't be long." She smiled at him before taking up a light jog into the forest. San had become quite fond of Kohaku, even though he hadn't been with them long.

She slowed to a walk after a few moments.

"_Hey, why've you been so quiet lately?" _she asked the demon inside of her.

'_I'm tired…' _he said quietly.

"_Tired? But… you don't… how do you get tired?" _

'_My mind is tired… Something is straining on me…but I don't know what. I feel if I loose my focus I'll slip away… focusing on one thing like this, that takes all of your focus, tires ones mind…' _

"_Oh…"_

They didn't continue the conversation.

Finally she came upon a small creek, and quickly went to filling her bottle. She looked up to see Sin.

"Sin? What are you doing here?" she asked standing up.

"I wanted to give you something," she said, reaching into her kimono sleeve and pulling out a piece of cloth. She unwrapped it to reveal the wolf necklace she'd uncovered earlier. She wrung out the string so it wasn't tangled and placed it around San's neck.

She felt her demon stir with recognition, but he said nothing.

"What's this for?" she asked, looking at the charm.

"It's a charmed necklace. It will help to protect you," she said. "I cant stay long, but I at least wanted you to have this."

"Well, uh , thank you," San said still looking at the silver piece, kind of at a loss for words. When she got no answer she looked up to find that Sin had already disappeared. A sudden stinging pain in her back warned her of danger. She spun around to look back where the kids were.

"Oh no…" she whispered in terror, before running at full speed back to the children, Jaken and Ah-Un. But the further she ran the more severe the pain in her back grew. Eventually it got so bad she found it hard to move, let alone run, and stumbled quite a bit, tripping and falling on roots and other things that lay in her path. One root finally got the best of her, and she fell to the ground, hitting her head—hard—on the rough path. The pain didn't really register next to the searing pain on her back. Finally, her body couldn't take it anymore, and blackness engulfed her senses.

San awoke, a throbbing pain pulsing at the side of her head. She carefully sat up.

"Ow…" she groaned, putting a hand to her head. Looking around she guessed she'd been out for a while, since the forest was getting dark.

Suddenly, her head snapped up, despite the pain. "The kids!" she remembered they'd been in trouble. The throbbing in her back was gone, which either meant the kids were safe and had escaped, or…

San jumped up, swaying a bit, before running to find the children. She ran for a while, finding herself disoriented, both by the darkness, and the pain in her head. Was she even going the right way? Finally, she sank down against a tree, exhausted, and fell asleep.

Sesshomaru walked down the quiet path, thinking about all that Totosai had told him. He was so deep in thought that a person sitting in a tree almost startled him. Almost.

"You're Sin's little brother, right?"

Sesshomaru reached for his sword, but the man in the tree held up his hands (one being occupied by a large sake jug). Sesshomaru remembered meeting this man once. Sort of.

"Hey man, I mean no harm. Just came to pass a message from my master," Nayamasu said.

Sesshomaru eyed him for a moment, before letting go of his sword. This man was drunk enough that even with his powerful demonic aura, he'd be easy to take down

"Your master?"

"Yeah. He's taken quite an interest in your group," Nayamasu's words were slurred, and a small hiccup escaped his throat. "He finds you… entertaining. Yeah, that's the word he used."

Sesshomaru didnt like what he was hearing, and glared. "'Entertaining'?" he echoed angrily.

"Yes, that's why he wanted to keep the 'game' going a bit longer. So he sent you some advice…" Nayamasu suddenly turned very sober as he stared at Sesshomaru. "Don't let your light die. Or the world as you know it will forever be in darkness. And that darkness will end us all."

Before Sesshomaru could do anything, Nayamasu fell backwards off of the branch, and disappeared before he hit the ground.

Sesshomaru let out a low growl. He hated riddles. What was this 'light'?

* * *

San had not woken when dawn came shining through the trees, sleeping for several more hours, before she woke up to resume her search for the children. Her head still ached, and she had no clue where she was or in which direction the children were.

Finally she heard the sounds of battle, and started heading that direction, when a familiar voice came from behind her.

"Looks like you banged your head pretty hard," Sin said, sitting up on a low branch of a near by tree.

"Yeah, I thought this necklace was supposed to prevent that?" San said, gripping the silver piece.

"It helps protect you from attackers, not your own stupidity and klutzy-ness," Sin said simply.

"Well, I need to get to the children, I can hear Sesshomaru fighting again," she said.

"Oh don't worry about it. He's just fighting Inuyasha," Sin said, waving her hand dismissively.

"And that's not a problem?"

"They always say their going to kill each other, but they never actually do. Plus, we don't need you falling into the middle of their battle and accidentally getting your head chopped off." Sin said, half jokingly.

"Lovely. But if this charm of yours worked, I wouldn't have to worry about that, would I?" San retorted.

"Oh it works. Do you wanna test it out?" Sin said, pulling a sword out of no where.

"N-no, no, I'm fine," San said quickly. Sin pouted and returned the sword from whence it came. Where ever that had been. "Why are you being to cautious of my safety anyways? It's really… weird."

Sin looked surprised for a moment… and then she turned devious. "That… is a secret."

San sighed in frustration. "I feel like a child in the middle of their parents conversation; no clue what they are talking about. But, you don't look much older than me, so you can't really be the parent in this situation. Although, I guess in dog years…"

"Oh great, here we go with the dog jokes!" Sin said rolling her eyes. She hopped down from the tree, landing gracefully onto her feet. "Plus, I'm only half dog. And I _am_ old enough to be your mother, many times over." Her expression got more serious. "My son is the same age as you. Although, he doesn't look like it."

"You…mean Naraku?" San asked. The white-haired woman nodded, her golden eyes sad.

"Sometimes I wonder…" she said thoughtfully, leaning up against the tree. "If things had happened…differently… where would all of us be now? Its funny, even being able to get glimpses of the future, I often find myself thinking about the future…and the past. So many things that go wrong, or go right." She laughed, but it held no humor. "Some things that go wrong for one person, may be a good thing for someone else…" she glanced up at San as she said this, but her gaze fell back to the ground again.

They stayed in silence for a long while, Sin staring at the ground, San's gaze going from the ground to Sin.

Sin's sudden outburst of upbeat attitude scared San half to death.

"Well, no sense worrying over things we can't change!" she said cheerily. She cocked her head to the side for a moment and listened. "Sounds like their done. See ya later!" she said, stepping behind the tree.

"Wait-what?" San ran after her, but she was gone. "She confuses me so much…"

'_She has that effect on nearly everyone she meets.' _The voice was tired, but still held humor.

* * *

Sesshomaru seemed to be getting in quite a few fights lately, but this one…

He was fighting the demon Magatsuhi. And he was struggling. Badly.

San barely registered the fact that Inuyasha's group had joined them, and that he was also trying to fight Magatsuhi, the evil from within the Shikon jewel.

The whole time she just stared numbly, until Magatsuhi's tentacles pierced through Sesshomaru's chest, and engulfed him. The scream she heard barely registered as her own, and her legs gave out from underneath her, as her hands flew to her head and she pulled at her hair.

"I should have left sooner…!" she said under her breath. "I should have left sooner…"

A huge explosion made her look up, and the relief that flooded through her when she saw Sesshomaru was like getting hit by a two ton rock.

But something was different, she noticed as he watched him strike out with his left arm.

…

Wait.

His _left _arm?

Sesshomaru destroyed Magatsuhi's body, and landed back on the ground, soon confronted by a relieved Rin and Jaken. San just stared at his wounds, her eyes wandering from his badly wounded right arm, to the wholes in his chest, then to his new left arm. But her eyes kept going back to the wounds that would kill almost anybody else. These wounds that reminded her of how dangerously close he'd been to being killed.

After the battle, they all went to Kaede's village.

San sat in Kaede's hut with Rin, who was increasingly tired, after the stress of the day, and Sesshomaru leaving them and Jaken behind.

"Rin, why don't you go to sleep."

Rin rubbed her eyes sleepily. "Alright…" She curled up on the floor and closed her eyes.

San grabbed a blanket from the corner and walked over, lying it over her. The small girl opened her eyes again and looked up at San.

"I'm glad you joined us Lady San," Rin murmured.

San smiled. "Me too, Rin."

"Lady San… I love you…" Rin said as she drifted off to sleep.

San was at a loss for words for a moment, and then she smiled a sad, sad smile.

"I love you too, Rin…" she said quietly before getting up to pack her things…

She packed everything except her silver flute, which she laid next to Rin.

Stopping in the door way, San looked over her shoulder at Rin, Jaken, and the unconscious Kohaku. _"Please stay safe…"_ she thought before exiting the hut.

"Going somewhere?" Sesshomaru asked from his spot on a low tree branch.

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"I thought you left…" she said, staring at the ground in the dim star-light.

He made no response, as he sat with his arms crossed, and his eyes closed.

"…Yes…I'm leaving…" she said, finally answering his question after a long silence. She waited for him to respond, even though she knew he wouldn't. Taking in a shaky breath, she smiled and looked up at the star-lit sky. "Did you know I was engaged once?" she asked out of the blue.

Sesshomaru's eyes opened, but he didn't move.

"It was a long time ago… he was so kind… I was happy with him, I… I loved him. But…" her gaze fell back to the ground. "The night before our wedding… he… he died. He just died. They never found out how but…" she played with the wolf pendant around her neck. "I know why. When I was young, a demon put a curse on me. The demon was injured badly; he'd been attacked by a group of humans. Just before he died, he fell in front of me, and grabbed my leg…. Humans are stronger in numbers than by themselves… I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he cursed me, to live in solitude." Tears traveled down her cheeks. "Anyone I've ever cared about…they all die."

By this time, Sesshomaru was standing on the ground facing her. "Your point..?" he asked quietly.

"If I don't leave now…"

"Some feeble curse cannot affect me," he muttered.

San spun around. "But what if it can? And if anything, it could affect Rin! Or even Jaken!" she thought about where she was and lowered her voice. "You could all die…" Taking a deep breath, she looked Sesshomaru in the eye, through her tears.

"I couldn't live with myself if-if you died…!" she said, trying to wipe away her tears.

"Why should my death affect you so? You mentioned once that you hated demon—,"

"Because I love you!" she bit her lip after the words left her mouth. "I…I don't know how, or when, or even why, b-but I do. I did say I hated demons...but after spending so much time with you, Rin, even Jaken…I just came to love you—all of you so much…" her shoulders slumped. "I can't let any of you die… So… I'm leaving…" she turned around and began walking away again, leaving Sesshomaru at a bit of a loss for words, for one of the first times in his life.

She stopped by a tree, and took the wolf pendant from around her neck and hung it on a small sprouting branch. "Good bye…" she whispered.

* * *

Sesshomaru walked down the small game trail, searching for Magatsuhi. He'd left Kaede's village before dawn, not wanting to waste anytime (let alone, not wanting to see Rin's crying face when she found out San had left).

He looked up at the dark clouds that covered the sky; so dark it made the world seem like it had no light in it…. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, smelling the scent of rain that had yet to fall, and the scent of… blood.

Sesshomaru's eyes snapped open, and he took off through the forest, running so fast that the trees were just a green blur. The rain began to fall, and he sped up even more. When he got there he had to slide to a stop. What he saw made his blood run cold.

There was a girl laying face down in a huge puddle of blood, her quiver emptied of arrows, and her bow crushed, along with some of the trees.

_San._

* * *

o,..,o -random face

Wow, what a chapter to post before Valentines Day, huh?


	23. Call Me Master

New chapter time! I've just been so excited for these last few chapters, I keep thinking about them, but I just don't have the time (or I'm being lazy) to write them! But now that I don't have OHSET stuffs to do I have more free time! ^_^ but what's sad is that this story is almost over! –gasps- I'm gowna cry when I finish it! T-T

I said the stuff above a loooong time ago. OHSET might have gotten over, but school work tripled X'( Tis why its taken me so long. Sorry about that!

This chapter is going to be especially fun to write since there's so much raw emotion. I love writing tense scenes! X3

**WARNING! This chapter is kinda bloody, just to let you know ^_^''**

**Chapter 23-**

The dark sky boomed angrily above, as a cold downpour pelted the ground, quickly soaking it. The rain gently washed the blood from the trees and rocks; discoloring the red splotches that covered the ground. It also gently wiped away the dirt and blood from the face of the girl who lay on the ground, all the while biting at her flesh with its bitter coldness.

Sesshomaru still couldn't fully comprehend what he was looking at. The scent of several demons was washing away with the rain, leaving only the broken and splintered trees, and the dug up ground as evidence of the battle that had raged here. But the only evidence of that battle that Sesshomaru could really see was the bleeding girl on the ground.

"Damn, what a shame." Came a voice from somewhere above.

Sesshomaru's head snapped up and he saw a man sitting on a giant origami crane, his black hair pulled into a ponytail.

Byakuya of Dreams. Naraku's newest incarnation.

He made a clicking noise with his tongue. "Naraku is _not_ gonna be happy about this."

Sesshomaru struck out angrily with his Bakusaiga, but the incarnation easily evaded, and flew off into the stormy sky, muttering about how his job sucked.

Sesshomaru returned his attention to San. He ran over to her and rolled her over onto her back. She was still breathing.

Her stomach was slashed, and he didn't bother to see what else was protruding from the wound. Quickly, taking the end of his fluff, he wrapped it tightly around her torso, not caring about the blood that quickly turned the white fur crimson red. Once he'd finished wrapping her in the fur, he picked her up and began running towards Kaede's village.

Suddenly one of San's hands reached up with surprising speed and grabbed the collar of Sesshomaru's shirt. He looked down to see her eyes wide open, one the same color as the blood that stained... well, her entire body.

The voice that came from her mouth was not hers.

"_Don't let her die like this..!"_ As soon as the words left her mouth, her head lolled back and she lost her grip around Sesshomaru's shirt, falling unconscious again.

Sesshomaru wasn't quite sure what had just happened, but he quickly dismissed it from his mind and focused on running to Kaede's. He was there within a matter of moments, even though he had been many miles away.

Bursting through the door of the old priestess's hut, Sesshomaru looked for the woman, but the only ones in the hut were two of Inuyasha's friends, Kagome and the demon slayer, Sango. Both girls gasped when they saw Inuyasha's older brother dripping with rain and blood, holding an even bloodier girl in his arms.

"Where is the old woman?" he demanded.

"I-I'll go get her!" Kagome said, rushing past him and out the door.

Sango quickly laid out a sleeping mat on the floor.

"Put her here!" she gestured to the bed. Sesshomaru gently put San down, unwrapping her from the makeshift bandaging of his fur, revealing the bloody mess underneath.

It wasn't very long until Kaede and Kagome came back, followed by Inuyasha and Jaken. Sesshomaru could hear Rin running up behind them.

"Jaken, don't let Rin come in here." Sesshomaru ordered.

Jaken's eyes went to the girl on the floor. "O-oh, of course!" he went back outside to keep Rin from coming in and seeing the horrible sight.

"Sango, grab the bandages and herbs in the corner, Kagome you help me over here," Kaede ordered, as she went over to San, tying back her sleeves. She began examining the wound on her stomach. "…What in the world…is this?" the old woman said, picking up the thing that was sticking out of San's stomach.

A putrid demonic aura filled the small space, making everyone take a step back.

The creature Kaede held in her hands was hideous. Its entire body was covered in San's blood. Its greasy black hair clung to its hollow face and down its bony back. Beady red eyes went from face to face as it started to struggle in Kaede's hands, twig like arms and legs flailing about. Its claw-like fingernails reaching out trying to scratch something. Looking up at Kaede the creature suddenly screeched a hideous cry, causing Kaede to drop it. The demon scuttled across the floor, sharp teeth chattering loudly. Before it managed to run out the door, both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stabbed it with their swords, and with one last blood-curdling cry, the creature disintegrated.

"W-what on earth was that?" Sango said.

"A disgusting creation of Naraku's…" Sesshomaru said bitterly.

"No time to worry about it now," Kaede said, getting back to business. "You men leave the hut. Now." Neither Inuyasha nor Sesshomaru argued with the old woman, and stepped outside into the rain.

The brothers sat in silence for a long moment.

"What the hell happened, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha finally asked.

Sesshomaru didn't even act like he'd heard Inuyasha, and walked over to the small creek that ran a couple yards from the hut. Robotically, Sesshomaru leaned down and began rinsing his fluff of the blood that clung to it.

Rin ran over to him, shoving Jaken out of the way.

"Lord Sesshomaru, what's wrong? Why can't I go in the hut?" her eyes caught sight of the blood. Her small scream was muffled by the gasp that had decided to escape at the same moment. "Lord Sesshomaru what happened to you? Were you wounded? W—,"

"Be quiet, Rin."

Sesshomaru did not snap at her, his voice wasn't even raised, but the tone he had made Rin stop suddenly. She bowed her head, black hair dripping with rain, and walked away to go sit under a tree.

The clouds were still dark, letting go of their contents in a heavy down pour. Besides the constant beating of the rain, and the small trickle of the creek, everything was silent; no animals, no people. But for Sesshomaru, there was one more sound, louder than even the low booms that began to echo through the clouds.

The sound was erratic, fast and often skipping beats. After what seemed like a life time, the beat slowed, and returned to a steady, even rhythm. It grew slower, and slower…The sound of the rain and the creek drowned out, and without knowing, Sesshomaru stopped his methodic rinsing, as he listened to the beat. Until it stopped.

A loud boom of thunder echoed angrily throughout the valley, breaking the long silence. Slowly the sound of the rain and of the creek made themselves known again as well.

Sesshomaru stood up and turned to look at the hut, just as Kaede came out, cleaning her hands on a cloth. Her expression said everything, but she felt the need to speak it out loud.

"She's gone…"

Rin stood up. "Wait, who-who's gone? Did someone—," she looked over at Sesshomaru, who just stared. At that moment Rin put two and two together. She shook her head back and forth before bursting into tears.

"Now, Rin, don't cry!" Jaken said. "Its not g-going to help the situation a-at a-all… St-stop that now..!" Jaken couldn't help but cry a little as well, no matter how he tried to hide it.

Sesshomaru didn't move. Didn't blink. Didn't breathe. His mind was blank. Blank, all but for the images that suddenly flashed through his mind. He then remembered the times that Rin had died. And he suddenly remembered something.

At that moment, Tenseiga suddenly began to glow, in a pulsating manner, reacting to its master's sudden rush of strong feelings.

Sesshomaru took hold of his sword and pushed past the old woman into the hut.

There was a white sheet over San's body. Inuyasha's friends all had somber looks on their face, even as Sesshomaru barged in.

Kagome looked up at him. "We're so sorry Sessh—"

He drew his sword, the slicing noise as it left its sheath silenced her, the bright blue glow that emanated from the blade baffling her.

Sesshomaru didn't hesitate to slice the air above the girl's body, replacing Tenseiga to its scabbard, before kneeling down next to her. He did not remove the cloth. Not yet.

Everyone watched, including those who had been outside, who now poked their heads inside.

The sheet raised slowly, then fell, and rose again. Then suddenly—

"Why is there a sheet over my face…?" the faint, strained voice said from underneath.

Everyone sighed with relief, Rin cried with happiness and ran over to San, just as she pulled the covering from her face. San saw Rin and her expression went from surprised, to happy, to sad. When she saw Sesshomaru she was just surprised. She didn't have time to look away; Sesshomaru quickly stood up and went back outside into the rain.

Rin blubbered about how happy she was that San was back, let alone alive. San smiled weakly, turning her attention from the door to the small girl. She was so tired. Her eyes slowly closed, no matter how hard she tried to open them.

Rin saw this and panicked. "Are you okay? Please don't die again!" she said shaking San's arm.

"Stop that Rin, she's just sleeping. Even with the power of Sesshomaru's healing sword, the poor girl has lost a large amount of blood. Just let her rest. And you all should rest too," the old woman said, gesturing to everyone in the hut.

It was a long time before San awoke, rudely awakened by a beam of sunlight that pushed through the clouds, and then through the hut into her eyes. She groaned, displeased, and rolled over, her eyes forcing themselves open. There was a fresh pair of clothes lying next to her head. She slowly sat up and looked around. This wasn't Kaede's hut.

As soon as San had changed into the fresh clothes, the old woman walked in.

"Oh, you're awake, are ye?" she said.

"Kaede, where am I?" San asked.

"In a spare hut in the village. Mine was destroyed. Luckily, you weren't crushed along with it," she said, sitting down across from the girl.

She remained silent for a moment. "Is… is Sesshomaru still here?" she asked quietly.

"No, he left quite some time ago," Kaede said, poking at the fire pit with a metal prong.

San smiled grimly. "That's probably for the best…"

"Tis Sesshomaru who saved ye." Her one good eye looked up through a lowered brow.

"Oh, that's right, I was attacked..!" San said, recalling the events. She thought for a moment. "He… saved me?"

"Aye. Ye were dead. The wounds ye sustained were severe, and ye lost a lot of blood. Your soul left your body soon after coming here. Then Sesshomaru used his sword to bring you back to life," Kaede explained as she continued to poke at the fire.

San smiled sadly and leaned up against the wall of the hut.

"I should thank him… but…"

"'But?'"

"I can't go back… I won't risk his life…" Her hands gripped at her arms, painfully.

"Oh… ye are talking about the curse that was placed on you."

The girl's head snapped up to look at the old priestess.

"H-how do you know?"

"I'm a priestess. Not one of the most powerful, like my sister was, but I can sense some things. But you should know that that curse is gone. It disappeared when your soul left your body," she said knowingly.

San's eyed were wide with disbelief.

'_The old hag's right!' _the demon inside of her suddenly burst with energy he hadn't had in a while. The sudden outburst made San jump a bit.

'_I hadn't realized it before, but that curse was nagging at me too. Of course it couldn't kill me because that god forsaken seal made me apart of you (in a sense). I can't feel it!__' _He was practically bouncing inside her mind. The sudden joy hit her as well.

She jumped up from her spot on the floor.

"Thanks, Kaede!" she said, as she burst through the door.

Kaede stuck her head out of the hut. "But child, you can't go! It's too dangerous!" she shouted warning, but San did not hear as she ran instinctively, letting her feet guide her.

This was wonderful! That stupid curse was gone…she could stay with him—them!

'_Seems like your feeling just as good as I am!' _he said.

"_You're feeling better as well?" _

'_Yes, ever since that _thing _was pulled from your stomach.'_

"_Thing? What thing?"_

'_Oh right, you were unconscious. After those demons sliced you open, Fluffy-kins took you to the old hag's village, and they took the demon that was growing in 'yur gut out. Turns out the little bastard was trying to suck the life from me.'_

"_There was _another _demon inside me?"_

'_Hey, don't sound so disgusted! Yes, there was. Naraku planted it there, when he, uh…'_

"_I got it…"_

They both shuttered at the thought (figuratively for him of course).

Soon the sounds of battle came to her ears. She altered her path a bit and headed towards the sound.

Just as she broke from the trees and reached a small cliff, Sesshomaru came into sight, battling Naraku.

And as San broke from the trees, Sesshomaru instantly caught her scent and turned.

She was standing on the edge of the ten-foot-high cliff, smiling, out of breath. Her eyes darted to the side.

"Sesshomaru, watch out!" she gasped.

He didn't have time to react as one of Naraku's tentacles stabbed at his chest. But they did not pierce him. Instead, Sesshomaru was encased by the sudden formation of a protective shield that appeared around him. The tentacles turned to shreds.

The silver wolf pendant around his neck had seen to his safety.

Quickly regaining his composure, Sesshomaru counter-attacked, striking the baffled Naraku, turning the rest of him to shreds.

San sighed with relief. "S—"

Something poked at her back, forcing her forward, and somehow, lifting her feet from the ground a bit. She was tugged back; her feet set back onto the ground, rather roughly, the impact making her take a step to steady herself. Her face was tilted towards the ground. Why was the grass turning red..?

Straightening, she noticed her kimono was turning red as well. San looked down, and couldn't really comprehend what she saw, as a hand instinctively reached up to clutch at the large gaping hole in her chest. When she pulled her hand back, it was stained with blood. San looked up at Sesshomaru, who stared back in shock. Her mouth opened as if to say something, but nothing came out. Her eyes then rolled back into her head, her legs giving out from under her, and she fell down the small cliff.

Naraku's evil laugh echoed around them.

Sesshomaru made a move to catch her, but a hand grabbed his arm with a firm hold and held him back. He turned to see Sin looking at the girl intently.

"No. Just watch," she said, her eyes never leaving the girl.

A moment before San hit the ground, and huge demonic aura spilled from the hole in her chest, bursting out both the entrance and exit of the wound. The force kept her from hitting the ground. The scent of the aura hit Sesshomaru instantly. Wolf.

The demonic aura slowed a bit, letting the girl touch the ground, gently. The aura began to focus above her, taking the shape of a man, becoming more concentrated by the second. Soon his face was fully visible. His dark wavy hair was pulled into a pony tail, and his eyes were closed, his face held an expression of serenity…and the slight smugness of success.

"Shido," Sin said under her breath, her voice taking on a tone of disbelief and wonder.

Suddenly, as the man standing above San's body was almost completely formed, Naraku's severed head formed, still laughing. The pieces of his flesh flew up from the ground, forming several tentacles that headed straight for the man—Shido. Just before one of the tentacles hit his face, one of his hands flew up and caught it. He looked up at Naraku; right eye gray, the left one crimson red. A feral grin stretched across his face.

"Didn't you know? A father's son can't beat him." His grip tightened and the tentacle dissolved; his grin disappeared. "Until he stops acting like a child."

* * *

San couldn't see where she was. Everything was completely black.

Candles suddenly lit up the large room, lighting two by two in a circle. The candles gave the room an ominous glow. That's when San realized she wasn't alone.

At the center of the room was a huge round table, with only two chairs, opposite each other. In the chair closest to her—a chair that resembled a throne more than anything—sat a small figure, shrouded in a black cloak, and next to the one in the chair, stood an incredibly tall and muscley man, with short cropped hair, and a small beard on his chin, hands folded neatly behind his back.

The small figure leapt from his chair and walked up to San. When he looked up she found herself looking at a young child, with long, messy white hair. The child smiled, like he was truly happy she was there.

"Welcome, San. I've been waiting a longtime for you," he said. "Come," he turned, heading back to the table, "Let us play a game!"

"W-wait, who are you?" she asked. The small child turned, still smiling.

"Me? Why, you can call me 'Master.'"


	24. Final

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH…! IT'S THE FINAL CHAPTER.! –sobs- thank you all so much for reading my story…! H-h-here w-w-w-we go then..! –continues sobbing-

**The Demon Within**

**Chapter Twenty-Four **

**Final**

Naraku attempted to attack Shido again, with even more tentacles. Shido was fully formed now, his demonic aura flaring wildly, enjoying the new space it now had. Every time one of Naraku's tentacles got close, it evaporated. He gritted his teeth with frustration.

"Weren't you listening?" Shido said, exasperated. "You cant beat me…" he focused his aura into his hand, creating a swirling ball of energy. "The way you are now!" he threw the ball at Naraku, hitting the floating head straight on.

The frustration in Naraku's voice was obvious as he began to disappear. "I guess I'll just have to absorb you after I have the completed jewel…"

His demonic aura disappeared.

Sin ran to Shido's side. He turned and smiled warmly at her, and they wrapped each other in an embrace that expressed the happiness they felt. Shido gently kissed her.

"I've missed you," he said. She snuggled her face into his chest and mumbled that she'd missed him too.

Sesshomaru paid little attention to the couple, and was staring at San, who lay dead on the ground, the gaping hole in her chest leaking what little blood was left in her body.

Sin looked up at her half-brother, pulling away from Shido.

"Sesshomaru, there's nothing you can do."

He hadn't really heard her, and reached for his Tenseiga.

"Sesshomaru…"

His eyes reflected an almost blood thirsty look as he raised his sword and swung over the girl's dead body. Nothing happened. He swung again. And again.

Sin grabbed his arm. "Sesshomaru!" she roared. "There is _nothing_ you can do for her now. But you can go save Rin. That Naraku was just a clone, the real one still has her, and if you hurry you can get to her in time."

He looked at Sin, then back at San's body. Without a word (not like he said much anyway…) he flew off in search of Rin.

Shido looked at Sin. "What do we do now?"

She looked away from the shrinking figure of Sesshomaru in the distance, and down at the body.

"We wait."

* * *

'Master' skipped over to his throne and sat down at the giant table.

"Please, San, come sit," he said, offering her the chair on the opposite side of the huge, rounded table.

She didn't move, and eyed him suspiciously. She felt a hand touch her shoulder. The large man, who'd been standing by the throne, was now standing behind her. He nodded towards the chair, a bit pleadingly.

She let him lead her to the chair, and sat down cautiously. When she looked down at the table, it was like the whole world was displayed in miniature in front of her. Not being able to help herself, San reached out and touched some of the clouds, which swirled around her fingers and then disappeared. Little tiny birds altered their flight path, as if blown off course by an unseen wind.

"Rather remarkable, isn't it?"

Pulling her hand away, she looked up at him. He seemed…older.

"W-why am I here?" she asked.

"Hmm? Don't you remember?" he laughed a little. "Why, you're dead. Again."

She didn't say anything.

"Oh don't panic. Because I'm going to offer you a proposition."

San raised an eyebrow.

"How would you like to be alive again?"

When she didn't respond again he continued.

"Oh, and how about I throw in immortality as a bonus?" He rested his chin on his laced fingers. "Would that make it more interesting?"

"W…what would I have to do…?" she asked nervously.

"Don't be so concerned! All you have to do is win a little game. So, how about it?" he asked, a demonic gleam in his eye.

San looked at him for along moment, glancing briefly at the man standing next to the Master.

"…Alright. I accept."

Hidden beneath the shadow of his hood, the Master smiled wickedly. He waved a hand over the table, and the mini-map of the world disappeared, leaving swirling clouds. Directly in front of San were several types of what looked like game pieces from many different games, some of which she recognized, while others were completely foreign.

"Now," he said, "choose which game you would like to play."

'_He's not going to explain any of them to me?'_ she thought, eyeing the pieces. She waited a moment. Her mind was strangely silent, only her own thoughts occupying it. Where was…?

"There's no changing your mind," Master said, breaking her thoughts.

She glared up at him, and then turned back to the game pieces. Which one would she have a chance at winning?

'_Wait,'_ she thought, _'there might be a chance that he doesn't know how to play some of these games either. Most likely, that isn't the case, so…' _

She sighed.

"This one." She pointed at a piece in the shape of horse head.

"Very well," he said, the smile never leaving his face.

All of the pieces except for the one she had chosen disappeared, replaced by a black and red board, each side having a set of 16 pieces; one set black, one set white.

"Shall we begin?" he said, waving a hand over the board, which had copied itself onto his side of the table. "I'll go first."

He moved one piece forward on his board, and on her board, the same piece moved—one of the smaller ones that were lined up in front.

"Your turn."

She looked up at him, then back at her black pieces. Which one should she move?

"Don't worry, I'll tell you which way you can move the pieces, and which ways you can't," he said.

Her eyes went back to his face.

He put his hands up as if to defend himself. "I'm not going to tell you the wrong things to make you lose."

She looked over at the man standing next to Master. He nodded.

Sighing, San moved a piece.

An image of Rin, Sesshomaru, Jaken and Ah-Un walking away popped up in her mind. _'They're leaving me?' _The thought caught her off guard, and she shook it and the image from her mind.

"Something wrong?" Master asked, grinning wildly. "Its your turn.

'_What?' _She looked down to see another of his pieces had moved.

Eyeing him and the board suspiciously she moved another piece, trying to mimic his moves. This carried on for a few more turns, and he had taken two of her pieces, all the while explaining how each piece could move and how it couldn't. She'd gotten to a point where she thought she might be able to take one of his, and as she was about to move her piece, another image flashed through her mind. This time of a blood-covered Rin. She gasped, and tried to shake the image away. When she opened her eyes her piece wasn't where it had been a moment ago, and she now had no way of capturing his piece. Maybe she'd mistaken his piece for hers…

After a few more moves, and a few more images, a large door opened with a loud creak, and a little girl ran into the room.

The man standing next to the Master looked surprised, and he ran over and picked up the small girl, that San now recognized as the woman Karada's child. Ozume, she believed her name was.

"Ozume, what are you doing in here….?" The large man asked.

"I had a bad dream," she muttered rubbing her eyes. "And I cant find mama…"

He sighed. "Sweetheart…"

"Ozume."

The man froze, and his daughter tried to hide in his arms.

"Ozume, dear, come here a moment," the Master beckoned. "Its alright, Hieru, put her down."

Obviously reluctant, Hieru set his daughter on the floor, but she didn't move.

"Come," Master beckoned, his head leaning on one hand.

She walked slowly over to him. The suddenly soft and kind (yet creepy) expression on his face made him seem much younger. He leaned down to pick the small girl up and set her on his lap.

"Now, Ozume, you know you aren't allowed in here," he said, stroking the girl's dirty-blond hair. She cringed and his touch. Hieru shifted nervously.

The doors flew wide open again, and this time little Kenkotsu ran into the room, a determined look on his face.

"You leave Ozume alone…!" he said, slightly out of breath.

The Master's expression turned murderous as he stood straight up in his throne, dumping poor little Ozume onto the cold, black marble floor. She scrambled over to her father.

"You!" he roared, making everyone jump. "What in the hell do you think you're doing in here? Wretched half demon, you are forbidden to enter this place! Be gone!" he yelled, swinging his arm around to point at the door. This is when his slight control on San's mind broke, and many of the pieces on the board changed color. Back to their original color. Something clicked.

Master rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Hieru, remove it from my sight."

Hieru nodded, and ushered both children back out the door, closing it behind them, leaving San alone with the Master.

"Well," he said, "I'm sorry for that little intrusion. Now where were we?" he asked sitting back down.

She stared at him from across the large table. "You're cheating."

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me…?"

His stare was making her doubt the accusation, but she did not falter.

"You. You are cheating; every time I'm about to make a move that will turn the game in my favor, you distract me with a horrible vision and change the color or position of the pieces. You make it impossible to win."

He stared at her for a long moment. Then a devious smile stretched across his face.

"Very good. You discovered my dirty little secret," he said, leaning back in his chair.

"So are you going to play fair then?" she asked.

"There's no need. You've already won."

She looked confused. "What?"

He leaned back in his chair. "You've won the game."

San was dumbfounded. "Wait, I won? But—"

"The true objective was not to win the game—impossible as it was— but to see through the illusion. Very few have passed. You are one of those rare ones, although you did have a bit of un-wanted help…Oh well," he said, waving a hand as if to brush away the thought. "But you did win, so…enjoy your new life." He flicked his finger at her, and it felt as if something hit her forehead, and she was sent hurtling backwards through complete darkness, and then back into her body. Her eyes flew open, and her body arched up as she gasped at the nauseating sensation.

"She's alive!" Rin said, her face lighting up. She flung her arms out with her joy, and hit Jaken in the face, sending him flying backwards, as she moved out of the way. Sesshomaru knelt down next to San, who struggled to a sitting position. A new kimono was wrapped around her to cover the large hole in the other one. She touched her chest. The hole that had been _there_ was completely healed.

They were still at the foot of the small cliff where she'd been stabbed by Naraku, and Sin and Shido stood a few feet away. Rin was dancing around with an unwilling Jaken. She looked down. There was A LOT of blood on the grass.

"Did you have a nice nap?" Shido said jokingly. She instantly recognized his voice, and realized he must have been released when she'd, well…died. Again.

"Is it alright if I don't die again for a while…?" she mumbled, smiling weakly and rubbing her temple. She looked over at Sesshomaru, who was staring at her, not quite sure if she was really alive.

"What?" she said, cocking her head to one side.

That's when Sesshomaru did something. Something that surprised himself more than anyone.

Without thinking, he wrapped an arm around San, and pressed their lips firmly together. The kiss practically shouted his relief at the world. When he realized what he was doing he quickly pulled away, and then stood up, walking a few feet away, his back turned.

San's eyes were still wide, as were Rin's, and one might have thought Jaken's eyes would pop from his head. And then the frog-imp-creature fainted…

Sin burst out laughing.

* * *

Kohaku stopped on the worn out path, gripping uncomfortably at the small bundle of flowers in his hands. He looked over his shoulder.

"Sango, do I have to…?" he whisper/yelled.

His sister's head popped out of the bushes, along with Kagome's.

"Yes!" she whisper/yelled back.

"C-cant I just wait until she comes outside?"

"It's alright, Kohaku, just act like a gentleman," Kagome said, urging Kohaku forward.

"But—"

"Go!" they yelled/whispered in unison.

He stumbled forward, stepping up on to the porch of the small hut. Raising a shaking hand, he was just about to knock, when the sliding door flew open. Kohaku jumped back.

Standing in the doorway, much taller than Kohaku, was Sesshomaru.

"U-um, h-hello, Lord Sesshomaru. Is, uh, Rin here?" Kohaku managed to get out.

Sesshomaru stared down at him, with murderous intent.

To Kohaku's great relief, Rin appeared, and pushed her way around Sesshomaru.

"Kohaku!" she said happily.

Kohaku remembered the flowers in his hand, and quickly held them up. "These are for you!"

"Oh! Thank you!" she said, taking them from him.

"Sh-shall we go then?" Kohaku said. He'd already asked Rin if she wanted to go to the festival the village was having that night, and she'd agreed to meet him there after she'd visited Sesshomaru. But, Kohaku made the mistake of telling his sister and Kagome about the little get together. Both had then said that he couldn't meet_ her_ _there_, that he had to _go get_ her.

"Alright!" she said happily.

"Have fun, Rin!" San said, poking her head around Sesshomaru, and shoving him out of the way.

Rin turned to hug San. She was almost as tall as her now. Ten years, and Rin was almost the same physical age as her. San hadn't aged a day.

"Bye, San! Bye, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin said, dragging Kohaku off. Sango and Kagome gave him a thumbs up as they passed the brush the girls were hiding in.

Once they were far down the path, Kohaku turned to Rin.

"Did you have a nice time visiting? I know you haven't seen them in a while."

She nodded. "It's nice to see him, even though Lord Sesshomaru doesn't talk much, but he did bring me this new kimono," she said, twirling around once.

"It's pretty," he said, smiling. "And they still…?"

Rin looked down. "No…still nothing… I think it bothers Lady San sometimes, even though she tries not to show it. When I asked, Lord Sesshomaru just looked out the window…"

"Well, at least they've got you," Kohaku said.

"Yeah, that's what Lady San said," Rin said, smiling warmly at the thought...

...

"Kenkotsu, are you leaving?"

"Yeah, Mom," he said, slipping on his sandals.

His dad poked his head around the door. "My boy, goin off to become a man!"

Mitsuki slapped the back of Bankotsu's head. "He's not old enough for that yet! He's just taking Ozume to the festival."

Bankotsu grabbed her around the waist. "Well, that still means he's going to be gone for a while," he said deviously.

Mitsuki's face turned bright red. "Bankotsu!" she hit him with her dish towel, but he just laughed.

"Oh, nasty! Dad!" Kenkotsu shielded his eyes and ran out the door.

He got halfway to Ozume's house and saw her leaned up against a tree.

"Ozume!" he said, waving. She waved back. "Hey, I thought I was going to meet you at your house?"

"Oh, I just figured I'd save you some time and meet you halfway—," her sentence ended in a series of coughs.

He put a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

She managed to stop coughing and smiled up at him. "Yeah, just a little tickle," she said clearing her throat. "Lets go."

Kenkotsu stared at her. She looked rather pale…

A few days later, Kenkotsu went to go see Ozume to see if she wanted to go to the last night of the week-long festival with him.

Someone opened the door and stopped to look back inside. Kenkotsu didn't catch what the man said as he closed the door. They nodded to each other as they passed, and Kenkotsu stopped to watch the man. Who was that?

He knocked on the door and Karada, Ozume's mother, answered the door. She looked completely worn out.

"K-Karada?"

"Oh, Kenkotsu," she said, wiping at her eyes. "I'm afraid Ozume can't….can't go anywhere today…"

"Wh-why? What's wrong?" he asked, sudden panic welling up inside him.

Karada stepped aside to let him in. Hieru was in the other room, and Kenkotsu could see that he had his face in his hands.

"That was a demon witch-doctor that just left…" Karada said, pouring Kenkotsu some tea.

"A demon witch-doctor?" Kenkotsu repeated.

Karada stared at her cup for a long moment. When she spoke her words sliced through Kenkotsu more than any blade could.

"Ozume is dying."

"Wh—,"

"The doctor said…she's caught a disease. A demon disease, that…that has no cure. It's more like a powerful curse, that infects someone every hundred years or so. It kills quickly…and painfully," Karada said, her voice cracking a bit.

Kenkotsu jumped up and went straight to Ozume's room, ignoring Karada's complaints against this act.

He dropped to his knees next to her bed. She looked so pale, and she lay so still that one might think she was dead.

Her body was suddenly racked with horrible phlegmy sounding coughs, and blood splurted from her mouth.

"Ozume..!" Kenkotsu placed a hand on her forehead as her coughs died out, and she returned to her deathly quiet state. "Ozume…"

"Kenkotsu…" Karada said quietly from the door.

He looked at Ozume's face for a long moment, then shot up, and pushed his way through the house and back out the door, running all the way.

She was dying? She—she couldn't die!

He ran blindly for a time, until he ran into someone; literally. He went sprawling backwards, and looked up to see Sin standing in front of him. She looked a bit razzled, like she'd been up all night. Multiple nights.

He got back to his feet—standing about the same height as Sin now—and dusted himself off and whipped his nose. "Auntie Sin? What's wrong?"

"Here," she said, shoving a paper in his face.

"What's this?" he asked taking it.

"Directions. Follow them, and you will find what you need."

He looked down at the paper. "What…" When he looked back up she was gone.

Ozume's pale, sickly face flashed through his mind.

He'd find what he needed…

…

The directions led him to an incredibly secluded cave on a steep mountain side. Little streams of water flowed through the thick foliage and over the opening of the cave, joining into a small stream that disappeared down the side of the mountain. Kenkotsu shoved branches out of the way angrily as he got to the mouth of the cave. He didn't hesitate to step into the threshold.

The cave turned into a long tunnel, dripping with mineral rich water, which overtime had created an array of stalactites and stalagmites. A strange aura radiated from every part of the cave.

When he reached the end, he found a large rounded out part of the cave. There weren't any obstructions in the space, and water trickled down the rounded walls and led into a small pool, that was white, and yet clear in appearance.

It wasn't cold, but Kenkotsu could still see his breath as he stepped into the small space.

_Tell me, child… _

The pleasant voice seemed come from every where as Kenkotsu looked around, trying to find its source. He looked down to see that as the voice spoke, ripples reverberated from the center of the pool.

_What is it that you desire…?_ _What is it that you need…? _The last word echoed in whispers.

"Who-who are you?"

_I am not anything, and at the same time, I am everything. I am older than time itself…Now, tell me, what is it that you require…?_

"I… I have a friend," he said. "Sh-she's sick. Can you cure her?"

_Dip your hand into the pool, so that I may know what you know, and then I will tell you…_

Kenkotsu hesitated a moment, before kneeling down and dipping his fingers into the water. It was cold and warm at the same time, and the sensation ran through his whole body.

_I see that she is gravely sick… no medicine known to man or beast is able to cure this disease…_

"Nothing? No one can do anything? She's going to _die_?" he said, eyes stinging as he yanked his hand from the water.

_How much do you care for this girl? _The voice said after a moment of silence. _What would you sacrifice in order to save her…?_

"Anything—everything…!" he said without hesitation.

The voice seemed to smile. _Bring her here…_

He ran as fast as he could.

By the time he reached Ozume's house, it was already nightfall, meaning the trip back would be even harder.

Bursting through the door, Kenkotsu ran straight to the back room; Ozume's room. Karada and Hieru ran to the door.

"Kenkotsu?"

He leaned down and carefully picked Ozume's unmoving body from her bed.

"Kenkotsu! What are you doing?" Karada said, panicking.

"Fixing her," he said, pushing his way through, carefully avoiding hitting her head or feet on the walls.

Hieru's strong hand grabbed Kenkotsu's shoulder in a firm grip. "You can't. There is no cure. Just leave her here, at home…" He sounded so broken.

Kenkotsu glared over his shoulder at Hieru.

"Well I'm going to try."

Kenkotsu broke Hieru's grip and ran, with Ozume in his arms, and out the door, not stopping until the thick brush on the side of the mountain forced him to slow down.

He made it to the mouth of the cave, when someone behind him spoke.

"Kenkotsu, what are you doing?"

He didn't need to turn around to know it was Nayamasu.

"Trying to save her…" he said.

"But she is dying, she cannot be saved."

Kenkotsu turned around to see Shinsetsu, another demon of time, his face old and wise.

"Well I have to try," he said firmly, "even if no one else thinks she'll make it."

"Ah, youth," Shinsetsu said, his face growing younger until he looked about sixteen. "Tis wasted on the young and faithful."

"Master isn't going to be happy with you. The thing you're about to do; its irreversible. You know that right?" Nayamasu said.

Kenkotsu turned back to the dark cave entrance.

"He isn't my master."

He marched into the cave with out a second glance.

Nayamasu sighed. "Silly boy… Well," he said, slapping Shinsetsu on the shoulder, "shall we go have a drink? Although, you look a little young to be drinking…"

Shinsetsu's face aged about twenty-five years, dark hair peppering with bits of gray.

"Look who's talking, sonny!"

…

Kenkotsu made it back to the pool, which was lighting up the cave with a mystic glow.

"I brought her," he said.

_Put her in the water…_

He gently placed her in the water, which held her at its surface as if she were simply a leaf that had no weight.

"N-now what? Can you cure her?"

_I can, but it will take more power than even I posses…so I shall ask again; How much are you willing to sacrifice?_

"I already told you! I'll give up anything to save her!" he said franticly. She coughed up blood, her jerking body not displacing the surface of the water. He began to panic.

_Even that which makes you only half?—_

"Yes! Please! Just save her..!" he cried, and tears ran down his cheeks and splashed gently into the pool.

…_Then I shall cure her…_

A bright light filled the cave, forcing Kenkotsu to look away. And then something happened.

A strange sensation ran through Kenkotsu's body, and it felt as if part of himself had been ripped away. But it didn't hurt. It felt… he wasn't sure how it felt.

When the light faded, he turned to see Ozume sitting up looking at him.

"Ken…kotsu?" She reached and touched his face. He put his hand over hers.

"Ozume…" he said, relief plain in his voice.

"Kenkotsu, where… where'd your markings go?" she asked, looking at his face, which was now cleared of the purple demon marks that had once been under his eyes…

…

San sat in the hut they'd been staying in while visiting Rin, fixing herself something to eat. She felt a bit tired, that strange sensation a moment ago having left her a bit worn out. Suddenly she heard someone on the porch.

"Sesshomaru?" She gasped when she saw him

He stumbled in, leaning against the doorway, and staring at his hand. He looked up at her, eyes shining brown through black hair…

…

Mitsuki sat outside looking at the moon. She looked over just as Bankotsu flopped down next to her. She'd already told him what was going to happen, but he hadn't said much…

"He did the right thing…" she said, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Well, he probably didn't get that from me," Bankotsu said, putting an arm around her.

She smiled. "He had to get it from some where… I'm going to miss this…miss Kenkotsu…and you…"

He looked down at her. "What are you talking about? I'm going with you."

She sat up. "What? Demons of time are the only ones who have to…"

"Yeah, but it'd be pretty boring around here without you. And I don't think Kenkotsu wants his old man cramping his style," Bankotsu said.

She smiled. "You're such an idiot…" she kissed him gently…

…

Karada wiped her eyes. "I wish we could thank him…" she murmured.

Hieru pulled her into his arms. "He knows…"

"I didn't know it would all happen so soon… I didn't realize…" she didn't need to finish her sentence.

"I'm sure Master, along with a lot of others are going to be pretty upset…"

She nodded against his chest. "Our little girl will live a happy life, that's what I'm happy about... but in the end it's all for the best…"

…

The master fell to the ground, as his world started fading away.

"Kenkotsu…I should have killed you when I had the chance!" he said, his voice sounding gurgley.

"Ah, get over it, have a drink!"

He looked over to see Nayamasu sitting on his throne, Shinsetsu sitting next to him, a large jug of sake in between.

"Nayamasu…! You knew about this?"

"Of course!" he said, taking a swig. "Sin told everyone but you." He pointed the jug at him.

"What..?" Master growled.

"What did you think?" he said. "You may be able to feel when she has a vision, but that doesn't mean she always tells you what it was really about." He winked.

The master clenched his teeth, and clenched his fists so hard they bled. "And you aren't angry about this?"

"Demons have been around long enough. It's man's turn," Shinsetsu said.

"Well, Shinsetsu," he said, raising his glass, "A drink to the end!"

He smiled and clinked their glasses together.

"To the end."

…

Sin scribbled frantically on a piece of paper, as she had been doing for days straight. Her fingers bled, spotting the papers with red. Shido placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sin, please…"

"Not yet… I'm almost…" her sentence was lost in her frantic writing. She had to finish the prophecies. Every last one…

She finally stopped, setting the quill down, and leaning back against Shido's chest.

"They're finished…" she said, a huge weight lifting from her shoulders.

Her husband wrapped his arms around her.

"I love you…" he whispered in her ear.

She sighed contently. "I love you too…"

"It's time…" she said. "You don't have to go too, you know…"

"I've lived long enough…" he said, digging his face into her shoulder. "And without you, it wouldn't be much of a life anyway, no matter how short…"

She smiled closing her eyes. "That was really cheesey…"

He smiled too. "I know…"

As they sat holding each other, their demonic auras disappeared, and they aged sixty years in a matter of moments. And turned to dust on the wind…

…

San looked at the two swords hanging on the wall; merely decoration now. They no longer contained any demonic energy, now just pieces of really sharp steel. At least that's how he thought of them…

The door flew open, and Sesshomaru sat down on the floor, obviously angry. His hands were covered in blisters, and a large, but not deep cut stretched across is forearm.

"Sesshomaru?" she put a hand on his shoulder. "What—,"

He brushed her hand off rudely. "I cant take this… I'm so weak now!" he yelled, his bottled up frustrations finally coming out. He hit the cooking pot that was over the fire and sent it flying across the floor. It had been several moths since all the demons had either changed into animal, or human form and lost all of their demonic energy. Sesshomaru had been angry before, but as the months had gone by, he still hadn't grown used to it. It had been getting harder on him the more he realized being human took a bit more work to survive.

"Sesshomaru, you just have to give it time…" she said, trying to calm him down.

He shot up. "Give it time?" he yelled. All of his fury was coming out at once, a strange change from his normal, quiet, collected self. "Maybe you can be used to this _mortal _life, but that's because you were once mortal, I've never been _mortal_! I've never been _weak_..!"

When he stopped, suddenly out of breath, he looked at her sad expression, and sat back down with a new frustration; at himself. For loosing control. When he was demon he _never_ lost control like _that_…being human was driving him mad…

San sat down next to him and dabbed at the cut with the sleeve of her kimono. "I know its hard…but this is our life now… just be glad you didn't turn into a dog."

"I would rather be a dog…" he murmured, teeth clenched.

This time it was San's turn to get mad. "You want to know what? I'm glad we became mortal. In fact, I think it's the best thing that could have happened to us…!"

"How can this be a good thing…" he said, staring at the floor.

"Before; that demon that came out of me wrecked my insides. Remember? But when we were turned mortal, all of that was fixed."

He 'hmph-ed.'

She grabbed his hand and placed it over her stomach. He looked over at her and his eyes went wide.

"This is why it's a good thing."


	25. Thank You

This is so strange! DWI is finished! It seems so unreal! I've worked on it for so long, I feel like… I don't know, its just such an empty feeling, and yet I feel so happy that its finally finished, like I've successfully raised a child!

I just wanted to say thank you, to all of you who've read all the way to the ending of my first fanfiction! I know its definitely had some rough spots, but all of the positive reviews inspired me to write more, which in turn has made me a better writer. Thank you also, to anyone who's read Of Swords and Hourglasses, the adjoining story to The Demon Within. Thank you so much , from myself and my co-writer FinalSymphony, who pestered me until I actually updated. Without her I'd probably still be on chapter four…

ALSO: There will probably be a new story, which will just a be a bunch of short stories based on DWI and OSH. Just little side things we wanted to write, most of which will probably be quite cracky. And since I plan on re-writing several chapters of this story, and refining OSH, the original chapters of those that are changed will be put there to.

Thank you again!

And now here's a small bit that we thought sounded pretty cool as a little epilogue…

* * *

A city lay in ruins, black and charred. Windows were blown in; doors hung on hinges, and small animals took refuge in the abandoned and empty homes, searching for food. The sky was dark with ash and smoke, and the sun tried desperately to break through, succeeding in few places.

It was quiet.

No wind.

Not a word.

Not a sound…

A shaft of light managed to break through the clouds, and through the collapsed ceiling of a destroyed building, casting an almost holy light on a pile of rubble that resembled a large chair.

A hooded figure appeared from the shadows, and ascended the pile of rubble, stepping on the beams and chunks of cement that had created a sort of stair case. He turned and sat on the throne-like-structure. He crossed one leg over the other, and rested his elbow on the beam that acted as an arm on this new throne. He rested his chin on his hand, and a large smile crept across his face.

"And once again, it is our turn."


End file.
